Sunday Reflection: Releasing Less Important Things

Jeans and a Teacup is reunited!!! Woohoo!!

In case you’re confused (“why did you separate?”), I live in Denver, Colorado and Jessica resides in Los Angeles, California. I was in town for work and OF COURSE had to extend my trip to spend time with my sister and brother-in-law!

I’m so glad I did.

Jessica and I communicate regularly because of the blog, but honestly, I’m so “busy” that she has a hard time getting a hold of me. Steve, her husband, noted how he texted me a little while ago and didn’t get a response for two days. I hung my head in shame.

This conversation about my busyness honestly lasted for quite a while and resembled the interventions people supposedly have when friends confront them about dating a drug addict … or being a drug addict. Steve was surprised I didn’t cry.

You’re probably thinking, “Is being busy such a TERRIBLE thing???”

Well, it is for me. It’s an addiction. Addictions are never good.

I’m busy because I like to connect with people. New people excite and intrigue me. New opportunities draw me in. I also care about people and have a hard time meeting someone and never developing the friendship deeper.

BUT, this means that while I’m off frolicking through fields with my new friends, enjoying the daisies I’ve never smelled and the sun beams I’ve never seen from new mountains, I ignore the people who know me and care about me most. I ignore the people I claim to care about most.

New commitments always mean releasing old ones.

Some people can afford that. If you have too much free time, it’s probably beneficial to release some to get to know a new friend.

But if you’re like me, your life is already full and adding new relationships means that instead of releasing free time, you’re releasing people you love.

I’ve been releasing a lot of people I love lately. It’s not that I try to. I literally just have so many things and people in my life that I don’t realize I missed a text until days later. E-mails from dear friends sink to the abyss of my inbox and I don’t remember until a month later.

Eek!

I’ve really loved this concentrated time with my family. They are wonderful and I hate the thought of going back to Colorado and not talking with them until next Christmas, or taking three days to respond to their texts.

I’m leaving California a new woman, I hope: connected to the right people, releasing less important things.

I’ll let you know how it goes. I’ll need some grace! This may take some time. But it’s definitely worth it.