I admit it. I’m guilty. I have, on more occasions than I care to admit, told my kids I’ll play with them “later” only to get caught up in my profession, the housework, or some other task and then letting the day get completely away from me. Every time it happens I think to myself, Next time I’ll … and sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t.
Ho w do I let that happen? How do I forget what’s the most important thing at the end of the day? Why do I consistently get caught in this cycle? And why do I waste time beating myself up about it instead of just taking the time to learn from my mistakes and be on guard for the next time?
When I was a kid, I used to visit my Aunt Sara in Illinois. In her bathroom is a sign that reads “The work will wait while you show the kids the rainbow, but the rainbow won’t wait while you finish the work.” Whenever moments like this creep up into my life, I’m reminded of that sign. And there are definitely things I’ve learned along the way. I try and blog about the positive lessons in life as a mini catalog for the tremendous amount of learning I’ve had in the last couple years. But through it all, one of the most important things I’ve learned is being able to identify what is urgent and what is important.
There are two types of activities I most feel compelled to do throughout each day: the urgent and the important. The urgent things include items like paying bills, cleaning up messes, returning phone calls, scheduling the doctor appointments, and meeting a deadline. The important things include my meditation time, playing with my kids, taking time for family, making time for a friend in need, and helping out a loved one.
Sometimes the line between the two gets muddled. I can’t spend all day playing with the kids when my boss is expecting something by 4:00. Nor can I put off paying the bills because an event has come up that we just “have to” go to. I need balance. That means I need some internal reflection.
