38. A Brief Hiatus

Stress + Worry = Insomnia

The vicious red digits on the clock's face read 4:17am. The callous colon between the digits blinked it's mockery at me as it ticked away the seconds. I raised my head to see a haggard face and blood shot eyes returning my gaze. This companion of mine wouldn't leave until I'd dealt with the reasons for his presence. I stepped away from the mirror and tripped on a discarded towel. As my knee crashed into porcelain and I grumbled Disney approved obscenities, I made a decision to eliminate these reasons in the hopes that my old friend insomnia would return to the pit from whence he came before I have to go all Gandalf on him.

The fact is that I'm not good at all about prioritizing. I tend to procrastinate everything and still get by well. Many people may see this as a blessing, but it's gotten me into some tough spots before. This is one of them. Right now my college classes are overwhelming me AND I have a 10 page research paper due in a few days that I've not even started. This, my friends, is hot water. I need to prioritize my life, but that gift will have to wait for another day. There are more pressing things at the moment - and that is precisely the problem.

A few days I ago I realized that I needed a break, and so took the day off from writing. I realized quickly that was not enough. I need to slow down and get out from under the overwhelming pressure (and worry) of this schoolwork before I can successfully prioritize. So today's gift is this: I'm taking a hiatus from writing until my classes are done (about a week and a half). Writing is turning out to be more important to me than I had expected. I enjoy it and sincerely want to get better. But I know that I can't let that be a detriment to other important responsibilities. I'll keep doing the tasks for the gifts, but will not write about them until after the hiatus. I hope you'll all still be with me.

Here's my challenge to you: Since most of us often feel overwhelmed, evaluate what you have going on. If some things can wait while you get life back in order, let them wait. Take your hiatus and get back in control. Those things will be waiting for you - and you'll be able to do better at them!

Since I've already mentioned  the wizard Gandalf, it's fitting to close with this thought:

All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.
                                                -J.R.R Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring