Making Time

I have daydreams sometimes about life without babies. When I could pick up and go at a moments notice. No planning. No extra bags. No snacks. Bliss. However, what I've recently realized is that while my schedule does center around the daycare's business hours, it's really not a great excuse for not taking a call from a distant friend or grabbing coffee with a friend. Because the excuse, "I just don't have time," is really a frame of mind, not a scheduling issue.

I may be a little slow but it really didn't dawn on me how much I was using the phrase. I don't have time get together with X. I can't possibly squeeze in a conversation with Y. I barely have time to get my laundry done, etc. The truth is, I'm busy. But I'm not too busy to stay connected. I choose to make time to run. I choose (or rather am forced) to make time to keep my kitchen tidy. I choose to make time to flat iron my hair every day. So why is it that we all use time as an excuse to shut out our friends and family? Why is it so easy to say we're too busy for the people who matter the most?

I keep hearing this excuse from the people in my life, regardless if they have children or not or whether they live a hundred miles away for twenty. It's like we're all so focused on the day to day that we forget about the big picture.

I've been using this a lot lately to explain where I'm at in my life: when I'm on my deathbed, what do I want feel about the way I lived; about the decisions I made and the priorities I set. And I can tell you that ever since I've been asking myself that question, I've enjoyed life a lot more. And I think I may even be a better friend, mother and wife because of it.

We're never too busy. We just choose to be. Life is about choice...did you choose your chores over your friends today?