daily reminders

90 percent of the time I have to remind myself to hit the power button after filling the coffee filter. Otherwise the coffee won't brew...obviously. I have to remind myself to move my laundry from the washer to the dryer, and then out of the dryer to fold. I almost always have to remind myself to put my name tag and box cutter back in my purse before heading to work. I remind myself to put the trash out on Monday night, to mail the Verizon bill each month, to not sweat the small stuff, and to eat more vegetables. But the list goes on. I have to remind myself to buy milk, to fill up the gas tank, bring the reusable grocery bags to Trader Joe's, drink more water, call certain friends, pay rent, unplug the Christmas tree lights before bed, return my library books on time (yes, I still check out library books)...

My days seem filled with reminders, though some I accomplish more successfully than others. And it feels like those reminders become more and more grand as I get older, as time passes, as life just gets filled up with stuff.

I remind myself that nothing in life is permanent. Not my job. Not my relationships. Not my passions. Not the way I feel when I wake up in the morning or go to sleep at night. Nothing is permanent.

I remind myself that life truly is too short... that I should take this time to be young, have adventures and experiences, meet new people, put myself out there, embrace the immensity...

I remind myself that I have skills. I have talents and abilities and two college degrees.

I again remind myself that nothing is permanent.

I remind myself to breathe. To take a time out to sip coffee in my pajamas, catch up on DVR, and re-read Pride and Prejudice
for the umpteenth time. I remind myself to smile and to laugh, and to not dwell too deeply on those things that I cannot change.

I remind. And remind. And remind.

Then in a conversation with a sweet friend the other day, who so kindly listened to and validated my feelings, she simply said:

"Just don't do too much reminding. Don't do too much reminding."

And that proved to be just what I needed to hear in that moment.

Perhaps I remind myself too much, rather than just... being. Or living. Or making decisions and taking the rest as it all comes.

So here's to less reminding and more doing.

Though tomorrow when I come to find my coffee isn't brewing, I will undoubtedly have to remind myself to press the ON button.

Hmmm. Maybe that's a metaphor for something.