Slow down, Turbo

Why am I in such a hurry all the time? Where is it that I think I need to be? As I reflect on the embarrassing moments in my life, many of them are born of this anxious and hurried pace that I continue to keep.

Take for instance my morning routine. I wish I could say that I arise at 5 AM every morning, refreshed and ready to take on the new day. However, that is a fleeting fantasy, and one to which I aspire. I usually hit snooze till at least 5:45 AM. I roll out of bed, say my prayers, turn on the lights and the race is on. I try to be showered, dressed, fed with lunch in hand by 6:30 in order to spend a few minutes reading and thinking. Then, I'm out the door, in the car, merging onto I-40 with all the other crazy commuters. Some mornings, I feel as if I could be drafted into NASCAR, if there was such a draft, the way I weave in and out of the fray. I wheel my car into space #14 by 7:20 AM and jump out of the car, bags in hand and head into the office.

The other morning, I didn't make it to space #14 until 7:35 AM. I don't know why I worry about that, I am the first to get to work by 30 minutes everyday but from somewhere deep inside me, there is this urge to hurry, hurry, hurry. So, threw my water bottle into my lunch bag and jumped out of the car, poised for another crazy day at the Council for Women.

I work in this old Victorian mansion, downtown Raleigh. However beautiful it is, it is still creepy in the early morning hours, especially when I am alone there for the first hour or so. I always unlock the door and then lock myself in. I then proceed to go through every room downstairs, turning on lights and making sure that I am indeed alone. I then ascend the grand staircase to the second floor, where my office is located, again, checking every room to make sure I am indeed, alone.

After following that ritual the other morning, I turned on my light in my office and put my bag down. My eyes were then drawn to the floor where a small puddle was forming. I know you are all thinking to yourself, "No she didn't wet her pants!" Of course I didn't wet my pants - I mean I am in a hurry but come on!

No, in my hurry to get into the empty, scary mansion, I forgot to tighten the lid on my water bottle. It spilled into my lunch bag and subsequently dribbled a nice Hansel and Gretel trail all over the house, in every room I had been in while checking for ghosts and unwanted visitors. By the time I noticed, my skirt was wet and so was my lunch. I spent the next 30 minutes, paper towels in hand, mopping up the water in all the rooms I had been in.

I have a new goal for this week: slow down, don't be so rushed, think before you speak and act. Life is too short already, why be in such a hurry? So, for all of you who see me on a regular basis, as my friends, I give you permission to remind me of this goal, especially when you encounter me running around like a mad woman. If you will help me then I am sure that I can avoid some future "puddling" predicaments :)