WHEN LIFE INTERFERS

We are our own worse enemies when it comes to selecting the priorities of our lives. My first love is writing--and reading. Do I devote a great deal of my life to these? No. At least, not at the present time. I have left life ovetake that love.

I would like to blame this on my parents who instilled in me a work ethic that has spilled over into my volunteering responsibilities. I was taught that you give the job you have one hundred percent. Therefore, I can't say no to extra projects and find myself spending more and more time on them than on my writing. I am feeling overwhelmed again and know this is not good for me healthwise. But I have an out in March--gosh, that is still three plus months away, isn't it?--so I attempt to plug on.

And then I run up against nasty events I don't want to be a part of and it dwells so much on my mind, I can't concentrate on my writing. And I miss those days on the computer, the walks with my notebook or laptop to the pond where I test new ideas, and I am getting grumpy over the whole thing.

This is a short lecture from me to you writers--don't get involved in outside things. Write, be with your family, write, enjoy that hobby, write, take a walk with your loved one, and NEVER VOLUNTEER FOR ANYTHING.

Hubby Ray said he learned that lesson in World War II--I was too young to learn it then, and haven't managed to follow his lead--yet.