Needing to Exhale!

I got home last night from a busy day. I woke up early yesterday and got started - morning emails and phone calls, faculty/staff meeting from 1230-300, enrollment meeting from 300-400, and class from 415-645pm. I walked in the door and exhaled, grateful to be home!

I reflected last night on my past couple weeks. As I exhaled from a long day, I knew it also came as a relief to be done with a couple crazy weeks. My trip to LA, a busy week at work stuffing packets and mailing them, hosting a friend of mine in town, and with every other"free moment" working on a lengthy midterm for my Church & Mission class. I got in touch with my desire to emotionally and spiritually take a break, sit in silence, and turn my attention back toward the simple and small of life. With my introverted warning bells ringing loudly, I carved out some time to be - be silent, be grateful, be appreciative, be hospitable, be loving and love-able.

I've missed being the past couple weeks. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy the adventures that came with traveling to LA, or the fun had when my friend was in town. I loved it all! Yet, I think we all get to a point where we need to empty out, be with ourselves and present to our tiredness, hectic life, and the myriad of other emotions and insights garnered from the fast and furious life. It's a good time to be exhaling - the Lenten journey will sharpen as the death and resurrection of Christ nears and as the renewal and re-growth begins to cultivate itself with spring. Breathe in. Exhale!