I’m a habitual door locker. Crazy habitual. It’s a problem, kind of habitual. Closing the door and locking it are the same action for me, no matter what. And if you’ve read my story in Puffy & Blue, or know me well, you probably can guess that those habits are never going change.
You know those moments in life where you suddenly realize your habit has caught you in an uncomfortable position? I had one of those moments last week. My Monday had gone so badly that the problems were spilling over into my Tuesday morning. As I juggled the Monday problems on Tuesday morning, I dashed around the house taking care of all the living beings under my roof.
Suddenly I found myself in the front yard in my jammies and robe as I watched the garage door close while my daughters drove away. I had gone through the open garage door to let the puppy out. And there I was in the front yard, on a stormy day, locked out of the house with the puppy and dog.
I did the obligatory waving and hollering dance as I hoped to get the attention of my girls as they drove away down our very long driveway. I amped the dance up a notch when they turned left out of the driveway. I hoped to catch their attention out of the corner of their eye. As the car vanished out of sight I stood defeated in the front yard while our puppy Tess did a happy dance in the rain.
I pondered. Should I spend the stormy day outside with the dogs? Or should I walk down to the office on our property and face whatever collection of men were there to start their workday with Greenworks? Honestly, as I stood in my jammies and robe with my hair disheveled from the night before, I was tempted to spend the stormy day with the dogs on the front porch.
I was started to wish I had gotten furniture for the porch, when suddenly I pondered a third thought. What if I somehow hadn’t locked the front door when I let the dog out this morning? What if in the chaos of my morning I had broken my lifelong habit?
Like a scene in a horror movie I anxiously approached the front door. My hand shook slightly as I reached for the handle. Inside my Monday problems still existed, but if the door was unlocked at least I could leave my Tuesday problems behind. As the door clicked open my heart audibly sighed.
Suddenly my day seemed worry free. The problems I had imagined I had were gone. The worry I had borrowed from the thought of arriving in my state of being at the work place of multiple men versus spending the day in the storm with the dogs was released.
Honestly, I think the puppy Tess was disappointed, but I had a new lease on life.
My take aways from the morning?
- Even good habits can have consequences.
- Don’t borrow worry for even a minute of the future.
- Sometimes you just have to dance in the rain – even if it is a frantic waving panic dance.
Cindy Jones says
Thanks for the entertaining story to start off my Monday!
Kayla says
It is good to share a laugh with friends.
Arien says
I really love your second take away lesson! Our culture is one that holds onto worries so much and it can really bog down our minds, emotions, and whole life. This sounds like an incredible thing that a rainy day and your pups taught you. Credits to you for making something so amazing out of this experience.
Kayla says
No matter what happens in life there is always a good story to tell and some take away from it. That is my philosophy.
Ann S. says
I’m glad you were able to easily get back in. I’m not a worrier by nature and besides, God doesn’t want us to worry. He’s got it all in His hands. You can rest in that. Now irritation is another matter for me and there are physical consequences for that. I carry my irritations (stress) in my neck and jaw. Thanks for a great read as always.
Kayla says
Yes – irritation is a good word for it.
Dennis says
4. Call loving husband who would have come home to let you back in without embarrassing you. Muah!
Kayla says
I totally would have called you first if my phone had been with me. It was hooked up to the computer inside trying to recover what I lost the day before. But it would have been number 1 and not number 4 if I had my phone.
Donna DeRosa says
Pre-worrying is never worth the stress. Glad you got to both enjoy the rain and get back into your warm, dry house.
Kayla says
Pre-worry – that’s a great way of phrasing borrowing worry.
The Nova Studio says
Oh boy – what a frustrating experience! Good thing you didn’t have to break in to your own house 😉