In the midst of the back-to-school frenzy,

which no longer rules our kid-free home, 

I am reminded of how important it is to speak truth to yourself

lest you be swept away by the torrent of hurried, harried, frantic messages

swirling around you.

I read this today and was reminded of the craziness fall can bring:

" ... and this is how it feels to live my life:

scattered,

fragmented,

and exhausting.

I am always doing more than one thing at a time

and feel I never do any one particularly well."

(Brigid Schulte)

Sound familiar?

Here is my new mantra:

Life is not an emergency.

This is the moment you are given ... don't miss it.

Breathe. 

See the person in front of you. Be with them. Listen to them. Look right at them. Love them.

Be right here, right now.

Life is not an emergency.

Every moment - even the most mundane and boring -

is an opportunity to see God,

to love,

to really live.

And sometimes all I say, over and over again, is:

Life

is

not 

an 

emergency.

AMEN.