Sunday, August 28, 2005

How do you spell S-T-R-E-S-S-R-E-L-I-E-F?

Have you ever had one of those days – or maybe one of those weeks or months – when the thing that comes most naturally to you is suddenly on temporary vacation?

My life revolves around words. Even in my first career as a counselor, more than a lifetime ago, my life was about spoken words. Now it’s about written words. And the words seem to be on strike, pacing back and forth with signs and chanting motivational rhymes in some space where I can’t get at them. Or maybe they left without me for that long-wanted and much-needed resort vacation.

Or maybe it’s just stress.

My first-born, my baby, is starting school for the first time in his life tomorrow morning. I’ve been an at-home mom with him and his younger brother for his entire life. I’m excited, but a little sad, too. Change is necessary but it comes hard.

I think what I need most is sleep. Yes, sleep would be very good. Uninterrupted sleep. For more than a few hours at a time. Ahh... the very idea!

Sleep is a good way to fight stress, isn’t it? A husband on week two of a chest cold, work pressures, trying to refi the house, off to school for the first time, writer’s block, insomnia, fits of depression... sleep would help a lot of that, I think. And chocolate. Chocolate would help, too. Maybe a glass of wine, or a beer. A bubble bath! Yes, definitely a bubble bath. With the chocolate and the wine, followed by lots of sleep.

Then again, maybe I need to go join my words on their resort vacation.

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