I write about life work balance. I meditate, exercise, listen to music and work on letting go of things i can’t control. But sometimes there are those days when I wish I had a do over day.

I’m working on an article that’s due tomorrow. I waited too long to get started because I had other deadlines. The pressure is mounting and I’m doing my breathing exercises to get some “inner peace.”

I’m also planning a trip to the UK and France at the end of next month with my teenage son, and I’m looking for business opportunities while I’m there. One of my colleagues in the UK has so graciously volunteered his time (UK evening) to give me some ideas and I’m looking forward to talking.

I’m working on my article and thinking that I’m doing well time wise with no minutes to spare, when my phone rings. I hadn’t answered the phone all day so i could focus but I see on the caller ID it is my son’s school. I pick up the phone and a I hear “this is the school nurse. Avi had an accident. He has a bad cut on his finger” (I’m thinking, ok put a band aid on it, thanks for letting me know,) and then “he may have broken it. Would you come pick him up?”

I go pick him up thinking i’ll be back for my phone call and I’ll have to work a little later on my article. When I get there, his finger is in a splint, he’s in pain and I know we need to go to the doctor. I forget about my call and everything else, and we’re on our way to the doctor.

I have to admit that for a little while I was thinking that maybe I could get my work done and take him later to the doctor, and get my phone call. I had to get over that and bring myself back to “mother earth,” and be an “earth mother.”

We find out that his finger is not broken. Good news, although he’s still in a lot of pain.

I’ve missed my phone call, my article will be late and now I have to help my son type his ten page paper that is due tomorrow.

I’m feeling very off balance. I remember the skills I teach other people. I take some deep breaths to focus on what i need to do now which is be with my son, and I tell myself that I’m not always in control of events and this was certainly one of them. I look at my son and I’m grateful I have him and that his finger’s not broken.

I go downstairs and sit down in front of his computer and tell him to start dictating.