Insightful thoughts from Bathroom Reading

I apologize up front for this post.  But blogging is an outlet, my outlet, and I know I am not the only over-achiever, Type A, perfectionist, stretch the hours in the day and burn the midnight oil woman out there who tries to cram 178 things into her already packed schedule.  

So yes, blogging is one of those things I cram into my schedule.  And reading, for pleasure, is another one.  And sometimes, I only have time to read when I am in the bathroom.  Sometimes I get to take a bath, other times, I don't have time for a bath (I shower, come on people.) But the pace of life these days in increasingly horrendous.  

Gone are the days where you melt into a porch swing with lemonade and fall asleep reading a good book as the sun sets...(wait, were those days ever here? Not in my generation) 

Today's generation is all about the blackberry, droid, streaming media, streaming teleconference, Ichat, Skype chats...fast fast fast!

With the advent of increasingly detailed technology, our days get filled with more and more "stuff."  Naturally, the unexpected happens, things break down, and your "plan" for your day is shot (i.e. car battery dies, cell phone battery dies, you get sick, get lost, start your "cycle," pull a hamstring, lose a deal, lose a case, lose an argument, lose your socks, lose your keys, trip, break a heel, break a nail, mess up on your diet (damn you Cheesecake Factory!) or whatever the case may be....as my husband likes to say "Schmitz happens."  

I find myself craving glimpses of a greater perspective and a glorious break for the Daily Grind...I cherish those profound moments and soak them up, spending time reflecting.  

The alternative is to ignore the tug or call at your heart and soul and continue on dutifully and mightily, checking things off of the list and running on your hamster wheel until you burrow yourself into the ground.  We all can get so caught up in small details and fail to understand the bigger picture. I am guilty of that.  

To emphasize what I am talking about, every day I drive on a particular road to and from work, running errands, buzzing home.  On that SAME road, this month, a 21 year old girl was killed in a car crash, a car driven by her boyfriend, after a night out of celebration and good times.  She was a college grad, beautiful, in love and had grand plans to go to law school.  

And then in a minute, one minute, her life is over...I don't mean to make this post turn somber, but really, when my head gets so far off course, and I can no longer see the forest from the trees, and I need some quit time to myself, I go to the bathroom.  And lock the door.  I am comfortable in there, it is small, the tile is cold....and I read....for pleasure not for work.  I thought after law school the desire to read for pleasure was lost, but the opposite is true.  I wish I had more time to devote to leisure reading, but for now, time is of the essence, and when I need seclusion and peace, I keep my stack of go-to bathroom books which are readily on hand.

Jesus Calling...a devotional that constantly reminds me of His Peace and Patience for me...when I doubt, am anxious, or searching for understanding or the meaningful lesson from an otherwise dire, all-out crappy day.  

And for the times when I crave a comically refreshing yet raw kick of girl power to knock my bum into gear and saddle up in my inner 
soul sister strength, I look to my trust "How to Hepburn Guide."

Kate the Great is also, coincidentally, the nickname my Dad always called me that growing up.  Hepburn's classic rules to live by:


1) Have a Credo
2) Find Yourself Fascinating
3) Say what you think
4) Don't confuse self-improvement with Self-remodeling
5) Find Danger exhilarating
6) Wear Sunscreen
7) Find the type of clothes that you feel best in and never take them off
8) Make it COUNT!