up

Yeah—better day today.

I actually got to sleep straight through the night, instead of waking up in the middle (usually around 3:30 or 4) and then having to struggle to get back to sleep. Dawn was already beginning to peek in through our curtains when I woke up. Quite an improvement already.

Then I did my zumba, and my knee didn't trouble me as much as before. Granted, I altered some of the steps in order to avoid irritating it, but hey—at least I'm still exercising and not stopping all together. Throughout the day I used it gingerly, and was pleasantly surprised sometimes when certain movements I expected to give me pain, did not! But then I'd get careless and start using it normally—and it would remind me that it wasn't 100% healthy. But I do see some overall improvement.

The bulk of my day was spent on graphic design, which makes me feel competent and fulfilled. I made some real progress, which felt good.

In the middle of the afternoon a friend called me quite worried. Her baby was running a fever and she needed someone to watch her toddler while she ran the baby to the doctor. I was happy to say yes. I was even happier that my schedule had the flexibility to allow me to help out.

I read something a few days ago that has stuck with me. "Life is not an emergency." I know so many people who live like it is. I understand how they're  feeling, because for a long time, I did too. It's the knowledge that your schedule is packed so full that you can't afford to miss one beat or you're going to fall irreparably behind. And so we push, push, push. There is constant pressure. I certainly don't want to live like that again.

I hope I can figure out how to reenter the US without re-joining the frantic pace of our society.

Besides, if I had been carrying a schedule like the one I mentioned earlier—every hour crammed as full as possible—I wouldn't have been available for my friend when she had an actual emergency.

(Please pray for the little baby, by the way. He has a high fever.)

Life is not an emergency. I want to live like that. BUT, for now I need to get to bed, or getting myself out of bed in the morning is going to be an emergency.