1. Get up.
2. Bathe and get dressed. Or you can skip the bathing every other day.
3. Eat breakfast and make sure that Tom eats his. You know why.
4. Exercise at least 20 minutes a day (stationary bike) or walk outside 40 minutes.
GOOD JOB, LOUISE, ON LOSING SEVEN POUNDS. REALLY GOOD WORK!
5. Write at least one hour a day on a long project--not your blog. You used to be a fiction writer. What happened?
6. Write a blog five days a week. Love your study. It's a good study.
7. Go back to art class. Those people are good for you. Art is good for you.
8. Find the two unfinished novels. Take a deep breath, and decide if they're worth finishing.
GOOD JOB, LOUISE, IN WEEDING OUT WHAT DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE.
9. Hug Tom several times a day. Hug him hard.
10. Clean that place on the wall at the top of the stairs.
11. Clean that corner. You know the corner.
12. Make a weekly housekeeping schedule for you and Tom.
GOOD JOB WITH ALL THE READING, LOUISE. READING IS PART OF YOUR WORK!
13. Think about cooking three meals a week. Three. Just three. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Try something new. Maybe it will actually be fun! Or there's still the crockpot.
14. Spot paint the stairwell, and the frame on the back porch door.
15. Repaint bedside tables.
16. Tell your dead parents every day that you love them and are grateful. Do it aloud!
GOOD JOB IN FINISHING THE MEMOIR BOOK WITH ANN. REALLY GOOD WORK!
17. Believe in God with all your heart. Believe it.
18. Remember to write down what you get done in a day, because you're prone to think you don't do anything at all. This is simply not true.
19. Have Gerard over for one of those cooked dinners. In fact, you should have brothers and sisters over to dinner. Take a deep breath.
20. Answer the phone when you know the caller. You learned how to say no a long time ago.
GOOD JOB, LOUISE, PUTTING YOURSELF BACK TOGETHER. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
I am going to copy this list and put it on all the mirrors in my house, too. I might need to make a list made up of just #18. And I will give Tom a hug the next time I see him.
ReplyDeleteTom would love to have a hug from you, Cindy.
DeleteGOOD WORK, LOUISE!!
ReplyDeleteGood job, Louise. You're doing it.
ReplyDeleteI love how "THE LIST" on 1 mirror doesn't just make the cut, but several, ha ha ha---sounds familiar. ;)
ReplyDeleteI feel compelled to tell you how much I love you, Louise. It's what I like to hear when I'm struggling for the motivation to bother with the endless succession of busy nothings that we call life. So keep going, even when you feel like chucking rocks at all the mirrors in your house and taking a day long nap. (I love day long naps.)
ReplyDeleteAt the risk of offending my writer blogfriends by confessing my blatant plagiarism that is neither parody nor imitation, I am reminded of a little exercise I did this week. After listening to Pr. Eyring's talk "Have I Done Any Good?" I decided to take a crack at rewriting the hymn. Here you are:
ReplyDeleteHave I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
Simple service is service indeed.
Has anyone’s burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?
Oh, wake up and see what you’ve done,
A child of your Father above!
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,
A blessing of duty and love.
There are chances for work all around just now,
Opportunities right in our way.
Do not let all pass by, just too many to try,
But go and choose something today.
‘Tis noble of man to work and to give.
The Lord has not left you alone.
Every person has something they're worthy to give.
To God each good work will be known.
Oh, wake up and see what you’ve done,
A child of your Father above!
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,
A blessing of duty and love.
Will L. Thompson
Adapted by Candice Stevens
GOOD JOB BEING AWESOME, LOUISE! You are a bright light in this world. xox
ReplyDelete21. Put on red lipstick. GREAT LIPS LOUISE.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLove the cheering-on in the to-do list. GOOD JOB LOUISE IN MAKING TO-DO LISTS NOT DEPRESSING!
DeleteI need to write down things I accomplish in a day, too. Otherwise I feel like I did nothing.
ReplyDeleteI need to write down things I accomplish in a day, too. Otherwise I feel like I did nothing.
ReplyDelete