I am very fortunate that I have been given a "time out" this week. A time out from work and the normal stresses of life. My husband has rented us a beautiful home right on the sound. I have a kayak, a private wooded yard, and a hot tub. The best thing is I don't have to listen to the phone ring, client's cuss, employees bicker, or the bosses asking me to move mountains! I don't have to worry about where my bad debt is, how many emails I am going to get in the next hour telling me things I have known for the past 8 years, or figure out how I am going to work another auction and 3 more branches into my already busting schedule! I can instead be grateful that I am working a job with some flexibility and making the money we need to make ends meet and to afford to escape once or twice a year. But on the flip side, I have to wonder...... Is it worth the stress and fast pace for these things? Is there another path waiting for us to follow it? All the truly important things in our lives do not revolve around money. I have great kids! Sometimes they are rude and have some attitudes. Often they don't clean up their rooms or even behind themselves. But realistically these are the worst of our problems with them. They are great though. I have a great husband. He always puts us first and I never knew a realtionship could be so great. I can honestly say he completes me no matter how cheesy that may sound. We are growing in our spiritual relationships, as a family, a couple and individuals. I feel I know God better now than ever. And having this time to clear my mind I find that I feel better today than I have felt in months. The stress between my job and the job my husband works has litterally been eating me alive. I think that may be part of why I have been sick lately. So I have made a few decisions today. 1. I am glad my husband is finishing some advanced training and am praying his hard work lands him the job of his dreams! 2. I am going to start some training of my own. The college money didn't work out for me so I am going to hit some real estate courses first, and then some tax or accounting classes after that. I need to not think that just because I have started across the bridge labeled with a BIG 4-0 that I am too old to change directions! 3. I am going to learn SOMEHOW, SOMEWAY to manage my stress better. I put too much of myself into things that are neither noticed or appreciated by others. I am going to redirect some of that energy into making our lives better. 4. Life is too short to not appreciate and grasp every moment. I am going to live with a greater focus on the good. And find some way to make a bit of "down time" every day. Now if it seems like I am rambling AGAIN, it may just be the pina colada talking..... but more thant the pina colada I think it may be the inner me!
