Long Stretch

This week was a long one for me... five days at the office. Now, I know that many people work five or six days EVERY WEEK, and I've done that in the past too. The way I've structured my life for the past 12 years is to work three or four days a week... with the overall goal of having quality time in all areas of my life.
There is a couple who believed in putting four hours a day into bread labor, those tasks that will generate income for the household. They allow time in their daily routine for chores, and encourage time for conversation & creativity. (This is my impression of them anyway). What this structure does is help balance my time, or at least allow the possibility of balance... how I use the time depends on my personal mission statement. Having a personal mission statement helps keep my mind and activities focused on those things that I KNOW are most important to me. Whenever I get out of balance, feel stressed, or am not feeling personally fulfilled I know it's time to measure what I'm DOING against what I WANT to be doing... and then maybe saying no to a few people or activities.
This week I spent more than my four hours a day doing bread labor, but it worked out fine because I was doing work I love, with people I respect in an environment that is positive. And it was only one week.
When I got home Friday afternoon, I needed to re-group and get the house chores caught up, build a nice fire and settle into being at home. Knowing what I'm all about, and the things I want to be engaged in, having a personal mission statement to guide me... I'm ready for a fabulous day playing music, walking in the woods, gathering people together for music and food, and sharing our music with the community later on this evening. Life is Good!
Long Stretch can be found in the Lighthouse Collection.