The tortoise eventually wins the race, right?

I used to be so productive.

I used to get things done. And quickly.

I used to be the fabled hare, running and pushing and straining.

And then everything changed.

Things move slowly now.

Things don’t get done, at least not right away.

I’ve become the tortoise, plodding, inching my way forward but always moving.

I measure accomplishment in other ways. In the number of hugs and smiles and laughs.

I’ve grown accustomed to my new pace.

But when I start a project, such as the quilt I mentioned ages ago here, I’d still like to finish it.

And I’m working on it. Bit by bit. A little here. A little there.

And before, I would have made an excruciatingly exact and complicated quilt. Now, I don’t let perfect get in the way of good.

This scrap-style quilt is more my speed.

It’s not exact. It’s not perfect. But it’s still beautiful.

And if I remind myself that the tortoise did eventually win that race, then the quilt will get done. But on my own time.

Am I really too busy?

I just saw this article on A Cup of Jo. It’s like the internet can read my mind.

I’ve spent a lot of time in the last week (heck, the last year) saying things like “I don’t have enough time to work on my blog.” Or “I’m too busy to cook dinner/go to the gym/finish that project at work.” Oh, poor me. But, really, am I too busy or am I just losing track of time or maybe prioritizing things differently?

Season 6 of Doctor Who has been filling my evenings and I have been chatting a lot at work, rather than working on that grant. But I’ve also done some cool things lately, like meeting up with other local working moms, attending the Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year dinner (more on that later?), and spending time with my two favorite guys.

Maybe I just have to accept that there is a lot I want to do but not a TON of time to do it. But if I focus on my priorities and change my perspective a bit, maybe I can change my “busy” life into one that is “awesomely full.”