Friday, January 31, 2025

Time in a Bottle

Jim Croce, Time in a Bottle...my very first memory of this song was 1980.  My big brother, AKA my childhood hero, was getting married.  He and his lovely bride asked me, a barely ten year old little girl to sing this song for their wedding.  I remember it like it was yesterday.  The church was the HUGE new Baptist Church in Weatherford, Oklahoma and I was in awe of being in such a large, fancy church. I distinctly remember crying in the hall to my brother, I was filled with fear that somehow he wouldn't be my big brother anymore.  I was seated on the front row of that larger than life sanctuary where I continued to snivel with the occasional tear finding it's way down my face.  The time came and I was on-I don't really remember much about my big performance other than when it was over I burst into tears on my lonely pew.  

Here I am 45 years later and boy do I wish there were a way to save time in a bottle.  I recently re-entered the workforce with the best job (next to motherhood and being a wife) ever!  My job title is Membership Experience Specialist. My responsibilities are to give tours to associates who live locally and want to know about the Walton Family Whole Health and Fitness facility, tours to associates visiting from out of state or even another country, tours to folks that Walmart is working to recruit as future associates and to smile-visit with our members, be a keen observer of the members and recognize when one might need help or have a question. Striving to make their visit to our facility a truly positive experience. I'm there to help ensure they have a positive experience in our space.  *Pause*Notice*Choose, that's our mantra; the three days a week I step foot in that beautiful building as an employee, I Pause, inhale and breathe in the energy that WFWHF exudes.  I Notice the folks who have come to the building to be healthier, more fit, more whole.  I Choose to put on my power lipstick by L'Oreal along with my most genuine and welcoming smile and I feel supercharged with energy, vitality.  I recently asked my boss if coming into our facility ever gets old or feels "ho-hum" and she quickly responded with a hearty "NO!"

Last fall, I started working with a friend to declutter and organize our home.  After 20+ years of being a homeschool family, 12+ years of caregiving (the last 8 being super involved) our home had become a pit of disorganized chaos.  I was making really good progress the I got this wild hair to apply for a job.  My dearly loved hobby-quilting has pretty much fallen off my radar.  I'm currently spread between "Fred" and upstairs with my sewing and quilting things.  (When Anna moved out in 2014, Melissa moved in to Anna's room giving us Melissa's Room and Jessica's Room.  When we redid our bedroom last year, our bookshelves and pretty much everything but our bed were moved to Jessica's room since she was at college.  When she came home in the summer, she "moved" into Melissa's old room.  Then it was confusing because when we'd say "Jessica's room" did we mean Jessica's old room or the room she was currently inhabiting.  Jess and I started calling the room where she slept Fred-it drove Handsome crazy but it worked and made us giggle!)  My decluttering and organizing has *insert mental picture of an old time train slowly slowing down here....my friend says just 30 minutes a day Dana...just thirty minutes.  Sounds easy, right?  Then there is Handsome who notices my kitchen has lost the extreme  empty look as my countertops have become somewhat cluttered again as he gently says, "you were doing so great wtih that decluttering thing, when are you going to get back to it?" I glance over at my table which looks like a cross between a pharmacy, egg carton factory and mail sorting facility and fight back the guilt and anxiety that can only be known by a woman who knows exactly the meaning of CHAOS.  


Yesteday I posted on Facebook, I'm always striving for authenticity and being real on Facebook, expressing that I'm tired and wondering how working Mom's do it.  I got serious, cute, funny and even a Frozen meme reminding me to "Let it go..." I loved them all!  The the last one...Sharla my standards are definitely NOT too high.  Just ask Handsome.  I just want to have the "ooomph" if you will to do it, and by it I mean continue decluttering/organizing, quilt, see my Mom uat least 3X a week, facilitate Sunday school, care for my animals-including bi-monthly dog food cooking sessions, attend some classes-specifically pilates reformer, read books, bake sourdough, cook meals AND not feel guilty enjoying my leisurely morning coffee.  Oooope, my phone just rang it was my dear friend Mary calling about P.E.O. along with serving as our Arkansas STAR Committee Chairman, I just agreed to serve two years as our local chapter president.  (I dearly love my P.E.O. sisters and I believe strongly in the projects they fund at the International, State and Community levels.) What I'm telling ya'll is I WANT TO DO IT ALL!!!! 

Time in a bottle.  Time management.  Efficiency.  That's what I need.  This year I turned into my parents and bought one of the GIANT year at a glance, laminated calendars and put in the hall by our bedroom.  Guess what?  Today is January 31 and it hasn't solved my time challenge.  Today, I'm battling my inner sloth.  Coffee, French toast, more coffee, text with my brother, a couple of Toast Yay's from my favorite Girl Scout, more coffee, some pork belly cooking while I type this post.  In the couple of hours it's taken to pound out these words I could have accomplished so many other things but there is something therapeutic about putting the proverbial pen to paper and letting thoughts, feelings, ideas swirl.  I'm trying to imagine what Lauren would tell me-gosh I really miss our time together. I'm human.  I'm not perfect.  There is no way to save time, no bottle that can capture it to save for another day.  Poor Jim, what foreshadowing in writing his song back in December 1970 having no idea he'd not get to watch his daughter grow up.  Heck, he barely got to know her before he was gone.  I wonder if she feels comfort in her Dad's words?  I bet she'd ask him give the words back and "save every day like a treasure and then again I'd spend them with you...."

I think that's my answer. Wake up every day.  *Pause*Notice*Choose what's important TODAY?  What is on my heart that is calling to me to complete for the day.  I'm indeed so crazy blessed and oh so lucky to have been home with our girls for all those years.  I'm indeed crazy blessed to have Handsome, our girls, my Mom, my family, my friends, my Sisters, my hobby, my job.  Today I've chosen to share with you. I'm choosing to go to work this evening, my normal day off, because my Boss offered me the opportunity to spend four blissful hours talking about Whole Health and Fitness to associates and their families who have been invited to our first open house.  Before I head that way I'll be sewing some borders onto a quilt for a friend so after work tomorrow I can get it on to my long arm.  Throw into the mix some calls, texts and snaps with my angel girls and some friends.  Life is good.  All the time.  I've got an incredible "cup"!

**oh and let's not forget that February 10 deadline for getting my MQG Quilt Con Swap in the mail to Canada, eh??





 


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