Gratitude Monday--A Blessing of Work Edition

I've had some freelance work come my way. I am grateful to have it, and further grateful I was thought of for it.
Here's what happened.
The two reporters at the local paper gave their notices effective for the same day, next Monday.
That left the editor in a bind as there are some special sections due along with the regular work.
My friend at The Mountaineer, Bernie Visotto, asked me if I'd be interested in filling in until the new staff started in a few weeks.  If so, then I should contact the editor.
I am very grateful to her for this.
I discussed it with the editor and agreed to take on a few assignments over the next few weeks. I'll get the specifics of the work tomorrow.
This is all good. It's where I used to work. While most of the people there are different from those I worked with, the work itself is virtually the same.
That helps a great deal.

But wait, there's more.
I've been working at home since 2001 though I did some freelance for the paper back around 2008.
I like it in that I don't have to go out much and I can stay away from people. As an introvert I think that's important.
However, several weeks ago around the beginning of January a thought flowed into my mind during meditation.
It's time to go out in the world.
This thought came to me several times over the next several days.
Rather than shy away I found it intriguing. I had no idea what I was supposed to do so I did the thing you're supposed to do.
I put it out to God/Universe/ All That Is.
Whenever the thought flowed to me I said I am totally game to do it, but how it comes about is up to you.
The offer is clearly the how of it.

Shortly before I got this offer I felt excited, jittery almost, as if something were  about to happen.
It did, and for it I am grateful.

Bedtime Stories

For 17 years now my husband has read me a bedtime story. He thought everyone needed a bedtime story and to this day I can’t find a reason to disagree. We even took a book along on a camping trip to Inuvik, NWT. It was June in the Canadian north and natural light was abundant so a bedtime read was easy.

We’ve gone though many, many books over the years. We’re just in the home stretch of finishing Manda Scott’s quadrology on Boudica, England’s warrior Queen. Next is the final installment of Harry Potter.

He switched jobs recently from running a small health food store to driving a truck. Days are long and he is usually very tired. He’s up early and therefore has to go to bed early.

The fun in the mix is my circadian rhythms have altered a wee bit. I get a minor energy surge right in mid-evening. Right around the time he needs to sleep I feel like writing.

I have a choice: write or spend time with my husband.

If I absolutely must write I can scribble out a few notes and attend to them in the morning. I can get up after the story and write if need be. Certainly there are those moments when I feel I should just get the writing done. I can always have the story tomorrow night.
Well, maybe. But the day will come when I won’t have that option.

What it comes down to is how would I rather spend my time and which would I regret later?

The only thing that matters in life is how we treat people, ourselves included. Work and money and gaining more stuff are secondary. Yes, work is important. If I didn’t think my writing was important I wouldn’t be doing it. Certainly it’s important to me.

But stack it up against time with my husband and a bedtime story? No. That’s just not a real choice.

Story time is sacred. It’s time together and it adds to our quality of life. It’s relaxing and helps us both sleep.

And who would turn down a bedtime story?
Not me. Especially now that the Boudica is about to boot Rome out of Britain and Harry Potter is waiting in the wings.