The Revolving Door

The other day my husband and I accompanied my mother-in-law to the hospital.  As we were leaving we decided to go through the revolving door.  Each section of this door can only fit one, maybe 2 people, so we went one at a time.  The door is manual so it only went as fast as you pushed it and started and stopped on your command.  So my mother-in-law started to go through, but instead of stopping to exit, the door kept going around; she went around maybe 3 or 4 times before she exited.  Every time she would pass the opening to get out, she would look at us and say, "e perche?!" (Eh, why?!?).  We kept having to explain to her that she has to stop, and that the door is moving because she's the one moving it.  We couldn't help but laugh a little as she kept going round and round, but she eventually stopped and was able to free herself from the revolving door.

Later as I was giggling to myself, re-living the moment, I thought how sometimes we live our lives inside a revolving door.  We are the ones who control how fast or slow our lives go.  Even though it doesn't seem like we're in control, we can be the ones to take a step back and go at a slower pace, not getting overwhelmed by the life passing before us, but instead, enjoying it; or we can be the ones to take that next step to advance ourselves to the place we want to be.  And even if we don't reach our goal when we want to, at least we're taking the necessary steps to get there, still going at our pace.  We're the ones to stop our door and take our moments of freedom and cease opportunities, instead of letting openings for opportunity and freedom pass us by.  I know sometimes we don't realize all the little things that can free us from spinning round and round, that may be because we are confining ourselves in the every day tasks of life; we don't see all the opportunities we have available to us because we are too busy moving our feet, and sometimes we just can't stop.

I know for me, sometimes I can get overwhelmed in the life I'm living now, I don't even know that I'm overwhelmed.   But the moment I realize that maybe there's too much on my plate, I stop and take the time to enjoy each moment, each conversation,  each breath of fresh air, each time I can cook just for fun, etc. Especially being here in Tuscany, the atmosphere is so relaxing and warm, I can take a step out of my revolving door, and take the time to really enjoy my new marriage, having fun and learning more about each other.  I've been making time to go for walks, read a book, write a new post, meet new people, learn the culture more, etc.

Those times that you start to feel overwhelmed or realize that your life is just going around and around and around, really take some time to enjoy that life; try not to see your day as a list of tasks you need to get done, take time to play and have fun with your kids, make plans to spend time with family and/or friends, just because; go for a swim, spend an hour at the beach, actually read the newspaper or a magazine, relax and watch a movie, take a nap, slow cook a meal because you want to, take up that hobby that you've been thinking of, anything that can give you back control of your own revolving door.

Enjoy Every Day!

-Rubi Anne Dijamco Agostini