most of you already know that i am a serious to-do list girl. i type my lists up on the computer, complete with cute astrisks instead of boring numbers or bullets, and usually an inspiring font and color. i print them out daily, and obsess over them. i tribute most of my to-do list obsession with the fact that my brain does not remember anything. i could go for months and not remember to take my vitamins if i didn't have a reminder.
my to-do lists look something like this:
grocery store
knitting
search for violin repair shop
pay bills
exercise
practice
i'd say the most dire thing on that list is pay the bills. but notice knitting is up there at the top. and who puts knitting on their to-do list? that's just something you do when you're watching a movie or sitting in the doctor's office waiting room. you don't put it on your list of important goals for the day!
at any rate, i base my whole day around this list and take it very seriously.
well, last week, i was in the middle of my to-do list frenzy and stopped for a sandwich at einstein bagels. i had "forgotten" to eat ~ something i do almost every day because i'm so busy trying to accomplish everything on my list. guess i need to put that on there too, along with wake up and take time to go to the bathroom! ha! anyway, i was in the bathroom and i spotted a folded piece of paper on the sink. my curiosity led me to open it up and see what it was. it was another woman's to-do list! i was thrilled to see what another person's list looked like.
what i read stunned me. it read...
1. radiation
2. chemotherapy
3. second opinion?
and on and on. it had a list of times when she would have radiation and some names of different medicines and cancer support websites. i couldn't believe it. i was immediately in tears, humbled by my silly list and how stressed out i always am, trying to get it all done. and how horrible that the entire contents of this list involved cancer ~ no time to think about anything else.
i make these lists so that i won't forget the important, and also to get the most out of every day of my life. how dare i turn that into a stressful event, when there is even one woman out there unindated with such a nightmare?
it put things into perspective for me and how wonderful my life is.
6 comments:
makes you appreciate the little things in life doesn't it? the rat-race does not really matter. what's important is that we are kind, compassionate, and generous. don't take things for granted, including our health and thank God every day for all that He has given us. in the end, it's the people that we leave behind who continue our legacy, and the wonderful thing is that we get to decide what that is every day that we live. if we live a Godly life then that will be our legacy - we can pass that on to our children, friends and family, those that we love and that is how we will be remembered.
it's funny ~ i've been getting so much more accomplished every day, since that experience. i feel like i have more hours in the day, even though lately i've been super down. it hasn't seemed to matter. i just keep thinking about how lucky i am to have a to-do list that is so normal and healthy and mostly fun (except for the post office ~ i go postal there!)
i personally admire your to-do-list selve. if they could bottle and sell that kind of concentration, i would buy it.
oops, i meant, your to-do-list self. sorry.
on my to do list for tonight.
1. learn how to spell.
oh, and i forgot to comment on the last part of your blog. sorry my comments are splochy.
thankyou for sharing your insights. there is a man in our sunday school class with cancer at a stage four. he, too, has a little baby, and a six year old. every day, i thank God that i am well, and i pray that i won't be the usual me, and get completely wrapped up in silliness.
not that to-do-lists are silly.
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