Sunday, November 22, 2009

My commitment to write on this blog everyday has been like many things in my life--sidetracked. I could sit here and blame others, make excuses about having too many chores, etc. but who am I kidding? I am, in fact, a procrastinator. And in saying this I know I am not alone. Procrastination is something many of us joke about, but it is a crippling affliction. How many things have I wished I had done earlier or at all? How many good intentions have fallen by the wayside? The Christmas cards, the thank-you notes, the phone call to the used-to-be-close friend, the visit to the elderly relative who has passed now. They are all symptoms of procrastination and then what results is a heap load of guilt or for me in some cases anger or defeat.

I know that I cannot possibly do everything, but I also know that that is not the key. It's not so important how much we get done, as much as what value those things that we do accomplish holds. So the next time I decide to put something off, I hope I have the strength to ask myself, "Which is more important to you? Checking that email account full of meaningless forwards (for example) or phoning my friend that I haven't spoken to in months?" And further to follow through no matter how much easier it would be to "do it later".