Burning Candles

"My candle burns at both ends;
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends--
It gives a lovely light!" -Edna St. Vincent Millay

I used to believe that unless I was doing something to keep me busy every minute of every day, I wasn't doing enough.  I have always wanted to live every day from the moment the sun peeks over the horizon until I can't keep my eyes open any longer, I was just living in such a way that was so productive that I was missing out on the most important pieces of life.  I was worn out, burned out, and never available to just sit, talk, and listen.

I'm not quite sure when it was that I started realizing that people are so much more important than squeezing in an extra hour at the gym or an extra mile into my run; that friends, family, relaxation, and love are more important than getting an A on a test; that it's okay to say "no" when asked to do enormous projects; and it's okay that the projects I do take on aren't full-on amazing, incredible, or perfect.  "Good enough" is never flawless but then again, what is?

I still try to live every day from the time the sun peeks over the horizon until I can't keep my eyes open any longer but I'm better if I sleep in on occasion, make a few mistakes, and miss a deadline or two every now and then.  I love being able to focus on the most important things in my life: living, breathing, serving, and spending every moment that I can with my friends and my family <3