I’m sure you’ve heard it said, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Well, I didn’t plan well when it came to writing this post. My last-minute solution was to head somewhere with wireless internet. I could then work on a post while keeping an eye on my preschooler as she played in a play place. I had a good plan, and yet it was the wrong plan.
Not long after I started typing, the woman next to me started a conversation with me. At first I was polite, but still kept one eye on the computer screen. After all, I had a plan and I was determined not to let it fail! As she continued to talk, I learned a lot about her current life situation. Though I’d known this woman for less than an hour, I could easily tell she needed someone to listen to her. I decided to let my plan fail. I shut the laptop and visited with her as we both kept an eye on the little ones in our care.
Later, as I drove home, I realized that though my plan had failed, I had still somehow succeeded. It also reminded me of how often I’ve followed my plan and still felt like I failed. All too often, I’ve pushed ahead with my plans and ignored the needs of my children, husband, friends, or even strangers. Today was a good reminder that sometimes the best days end with nothing checked off the to-do list.
Of course, I was also reminded that procrastination is bad habit. I plan on working on that…starting tomorrow.