I just received an e-mail with this quote:
“Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.”
What battle(s) are you fighting? Right now, my battle is exhaustion!! I know that may sound silly, but it is truly a huge battle for me at this point. I don’t mean that I’m just tired. I am flat out exhausted! There is a huge difference. The best way I can describe it is in the form of a story (my own story): At the end of my freshman year in high school, I decided to try out for cheerleading. After a week of an intense clinic, Honors level homework, and other extra-curriculuar activities, I awoke the morning of try-outs and fainted in the bathroom. This was definitely not my first time fainting. I had fainted many times as a child (see the “Health” blog post), but I was usually able to come out of it fairly easily. Not this time. My mother practically begged me to help her get me back to my bedroom. I couldn’t. I was dead weight. Needless to say, I missed try-outs and had to wait until that summer.
The point is: I don’t want to experience that level of exhaustion again, and I feel myself heading that direction. I am overworked (mostly my own fault, I’ll admit) and very short-tempered, and I am absolutely positive that I am not the only one. So please keep in mind that everyone has some kind of battle and they can take the form of exhaustion, anxiety, depression, insecurity, lack of self-control…the list goes on. I am working to try to keep this in mind when I get angry about someone cutting me off (UGH! The traffic in this city!), driving super slowly, not listening to me, not replying to my e-mails…again, the list goes on. You never know what kind of battle(s) someone is fighting.
i think this hits home for everybody….and people have different levels of exhaustion too! Just cause one person can tolerate something does not mean it applies to everyone! make sure you make “me time” to rest!