On Neglected Projects

I had posted a few weeks ago about my new understanding of time and priorities. I realize now that what I always thought I should do, or even wanted to do, hasn't come close to what I am doing. For instance, for two years I've neglected Christmas cards, always saying I would do them when I had the time. Not true, had the time, didn't do them. Not sure I will. Similarly, I've always wanted, or so I thought, to finish, or at least add on to, the baby books. Obviously not as important as I thought. Similarly, though I long to organize my recipes into my cookbook and have fallen two years behind, I have not taken the recipes off my blog and put them in an edited document. Guess it wasn't as important as I'd thought. Funny, that.

So what has been important? I've been reading more and loving it, a past time that had fallen by the wayside not just with children but with years of intense grad school. I like social histories more than novels, unless the novels are solidly based in history (before the 20th century).

I've been doing a lot of what I guess can only be called self-improvement, self-improvement of a very spiritual, for lack of a better term, New Age kind, particularly focusing on Non-Violent Communication (NVC) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). I find such studies, via DVDs, CDs, books, and workbooks, improve my communication skills and thus my relationships, increase my peace of mind and calmness and thus decrease my stress and pain.

Phone call, email, visits have also occupied my time ass I reach out through my loneliness to people around me. And I've written a lot of thank-you notes!

Now that I'm getting up more, it means I'll eventually return to baking, crafting (I can't crochet in bed!), and my new docent activities. But what will have changed? What have I learned? And will I still think about baby books and Christmas cards or have I finally laid those to rest?

Or, with 8-hour school days next year, will I get to the second and third and fourth tiers of priorities?

Or explore something totally new . . . .