The joy in relating...

Where oh where...did timeliness go? For me it has flown out the window to a degree these last few weeks. I exercise my utmost to keep all details of life, home and work, time-managed to the best of my ability. In the last two weeks, that's not been the case. For instance, my desk at work has piles of to-do lists... sticky notes and scraps of paper are helter skelter. I barely can identify that it is a desk except for the fact that I know there's one under those piles somewhere! I am not even going to address the projects amassed on the floor!

At home, things aren't as stacked, but there still are things to do! Couple loads of laundry here, a carpet to be vacuumed there. Nothing too terribly pressing, but still in need of eventually being attended.

But, when it all boils down to it, what's my excuse? It's not an excuse at all, there's a quite valid reason for letting tasks get piled up beyond my typical comfort level. The reason is simple, slowing down to intentionally enjoy and develop joy in the art of relationship building.

Of late, in the professional arena, it's been building relationship with an airline partner that resumed service in our market. Time was needed to re-introduce them to audiences that had developed new buying habits in the 16 month hiatus our partner had taken. Now, they're back and my attention was taken off my tasks and re-directed to re-introductions. It's been incredible to experience the returns on this re-allocation of my time and efforts.

At home, chores are left to another day, because quite frankly there's so much more joy to be had in being shoulder-to-shoulder with my hubby on our interests, hobbies, and assorted household projects. Marriage is about doing life together, and that's just what we've been up to!

So all-in-all this post is not a lament, but indeed a challenge to myself and others to refocus on the priorities, your relationships...your spouse, your children, your friends, neighbors, colleagues, coworkers, whomever. If you can think of a person, chances are there's a relationship waiting to be developed there. Go, live, relate, enjoy, choose joy.