The difference between impossible and possible

Last Tuesday my list of chores for the next 30 days looked impossible. One week in particular is over-full with major events. I’ll have a three day family reunion in another state shoehorned in between shipping prep and the shipping day. This will be followed by a week of swimming lessons, a writer’s retreat, and an important-to-the-kids church party. Surrounding that crazy week, I have to ship loads of merchandise to GenCon, make sure I have all the paperwork done for selling in another state, and possibly also do the same sorts of chores for selling in another country. I will have to learn things just in time to get them done. I sat at my kitchen table and wanted to cry about the impossible-ness of it all. Increasing my sadness was the knowledge that I’m actually excited by all the things I have to do. They’re all interesting challenges, but I don’t feel like I can do them justice because they’re all piled on top of each other. It feels like I just need to get them done rather that taking time to get them right.

That thought pattern came back to bite me on Thursday night. A project I hurried to get done was returned for corrections. More than that, it required expansion. My impossible list got a little more impossible. And I despaired. But I was on vacation and so I deliberately let it go. I knew I had to give the family time my full attention, because if I get that wrong I don’t get a do over.

This morning I was back at work, and what seemed impossible last week, now feels like something I can manage. Pieces came together, I cleared out my email box, tasks got done. I love it when I get things done and I know that they won’t come back to me. I still have a million things to do. But I’ll just keep going and somehow I think I’ll get it all done.