On a fishing trip to southern Missouri, a cloudy afternoon brought several hours of wind and rain, and by rain I mean a monsoon, which left deep puddles of water everywhere. Once the storm passed, drops the size of teacups dripped from leaves. 
As I picked my way across the ground, trying to avoid tromping into any ankle deep mini-ponds, I glanced up to notice something I’d never seen before. An enormous tree filled with turkey buzzards (several of them flew away before I could snap their picture). Each big old bird sat on a branch, motionless and silent, with wings spread wide to dry.
Can’t you just totally relate to these guys? After being pummeled by a storm, when the clouds cleared away, they shook off the whirlwind to welcome back the sun.
Summer used to be a laid-back time, but not anymore. If you’re like me, you’ve been doing way too much, forever trying to cram in just one more thing. Racing to reach the next goal. Wearing out your batteries. Risking the possibility of burn-out.
Maybe it’s time to take a lesson from our feathered friends. My own epiphany has arrived, and I resolve to forget those nagging deadlines for a moment each day to sit back and enjoy the warm golden beauty of a sunrise, or take Winston for a long walk around the lake. How about you?
Breathe, relax, unplug, and recharge. You may find that making time for yourself could be the real key to success.
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Easy-Peasy recipe fans, check out a new post on the Easy-Peasy tab for a quick and delicious way to fix asparagus.
Watch for Pat’s upcoming releases:
August – I am Mrs. Jesse James; a novel of love, loss, and redemption
September – Midnight the One-Eyed Cat; a picture book on learning the value of “me”
October – Let Your Heart Be Light: A Celebration of Christmas; a collection of short stories, essays, and poems for those who love the yuletide
14 Responses
Thanks for the refresher!
Hi Diane! Thank you so much for reading and leaving a comment.
Great reminder, Pat. I was just thinking about my goals for the summer when I read this, which reminded me I’ve been wanting to explore a local park. So I’ll move a few of those chores down to make room for some fun!
Mary, the park sounds like a lovely idea. Hope you enjoy recharging before you settle down to work!
Love this post! Those birds were amazing. Whether we are recharging or wearing down our batteries, there is always something that inspires us to write. It is in our blood.
You are so right, Linda. And a good way to “recharge” is hanging out with sweet little grand-kiddos – as you know very well! 😉
I truly love this post, Pat. I was just thinking today how summer has become as much of a rat-race as the rest of the year. Seeing a couple of young girls skipping down the road with popsicles this morning brought back fond memories — as does your wonderful post. Thank you!
Thank you, Teri! It seems like every season we are running in circles. I like the image of little girls with popsicles. It reminds me of summertime when we couldn’t wait for the ding of the ice cream truck. 🙂
I love this post too! And wow, look at all the upcoming things you have… and speaking of which, I still don’t get notified. Wah.
Hi Lynn! I’m glad you stopped by and I’m so sorry the notification doesn’t seem to be working properly. Sometimes technology drives me batty!
This is so true. I’ve written about it before on my own site. 🙂 Being still for a few minutes sometimes makes all the difference in a day. I’ve also started taking a break to walk outside when Chester has to go outside and sitting in the shade. Fresh air!
Thanks, Margo. Doggy potty breaks make for a great reminder, don’t they?
Take time to breathe…
Most definitely a good suggestion, Sheree!