Missing a Deadline

In Creating Happiness by Barbara Jacoby

Oh, no!  Here it is – Wednesday!  I was supposed to have my post done by Tuesday.  I haven’t missed a single deadline since I started writing my blog.  Even with the passing of my brother and a major surgery, I didn’t miss a beat.  So what in heavens name happened that I did not have my weekly writing done on time???  I forgot!

 

Yes, it was that simple.  I thought about it over the weekend but I wasn’t inspired.  I thought about it on Monday evening but couldn’t think of a thing.  But that was okay because I always come through by Tuesday.  That wouldn’t be a problem.  But then I met friends for dinner and as I was leaving the restaurant, I ran into another person with whom I hadn’t had a chance to have a conversation in a long time so I lingered.  Then I had to stop at the store on the way home and pick up a couple of things.  My cell phone was acting up so that I couldn’t make a call (darn that Mercury when it goes retrograde).  And as it was getting late, I had to hurry home and get a shower so that I could spend a little time with Kirk before heading to bed.  I knew that I had to get up early in the morning to get to work because I was leaving early for an appointment so I had to get certain things organized the night before.

 

So here I am, having arrived home a little earlier than usual and all of a sudden it hits me.  I missed a deadline.  Me!  I missed a deadline.  I never miss a deadline! How did this happen?  I pride myself on finishing everything on time, if not ahead of time.  I always arrive early for appointments so I never keep anyone waiting.  And I always write my blog on time.  How embarrassing!  I missed a deadline.

 

And then I stopped myself and said, “So what!”  I didn’t hurt anyone.  I am sure that no one was signing on to view my latest writings and sitting there waiting for them to pop up.  So why was I so bothered that my post was not ready on Tuesday?  I am not sure but I do know that it is not because I am a perfectionist.  It seems more like I don’t want to disappoint others because that would mean that I disappointed myself.  And then a better perspective popped up. 

 

I could take this whole thing too seriously and schedule every Tuesday to allow for writing at a particular time if I have not already completed my blog.  That way I would never be late.  But I would miss out on that special get together with some friends.  I would not have a few extra minutes to spend with someone who I really like.  I wouldn’t have a chance to chat with Kirk before heading to bed to share our thoughts on the day’s happenings.  And most importantly, I would have to choose to write about life rather than choosing to live life.  For me, that is not an option worth considering.  I just hope that I never make a choice to not live life to its fullest.  To me, there is absolutely nothing that is more important.  So if I miss a deadline again in the future, just know that I am doing something special with someone special and that is the way I live my life.