OK, I know–it’s not really a verb, but I’m using it as a verb.
We are supposed to leave town today at about 3 pm. Yes, I know: it is now 3:48 pm as I’m writing this sentence….
Here’s how my going-out-of-town script usually reads:
- I announce the night before that I will be home from work at 3 pm, at which point everyone will be ready to go, we will load up the car and head out on our way.
- At around noon I will get a text saying things are running behind schedule, but everyone is doing the best they can.
- At around 2:45 I leave work, realizing that I will be home by 3:30 the earliest.
- At around 5 pm I will remind everyone that we should have left two hours ago.
- At around 5:15 pm I will start pacing around, sighing loudly.
- At 6 pm I will announce with just a twinge of irritation in my voice that if we leave now, we can get to our destination by midnight.
- At 6:15 pm, I start wandering about muttering “This is ridiculous” to myself, but loud enough for others to hear.
And so on.
So. It’s 3:59 pm. I’m home from work. No one else is here–they are still out running last minute errands. There are dishes in the sink, and as far as I can tell, no one is packed.
And I am going to tear up my script and try something new.
No 15-minute time announcements. No heavy sighs. No ratcheting up of everyone’s stress level. I’m going to go at tonight entirely unscripted.
And let’s see what happens!
365 Simplify 
If the change of script results in no departure until morning (which is what would happen in my house) you can always come climb with Linda and me tonight!
We were on the road by 7:45. Not bad!
Oh dear, how we know that narrative in our home. Looking forward to the de-scripted report!
I have to say–it was a refreshing change of pace. I don’t know if we would have left any earlier or later had I chosen to behave differently yesterday. I do know, though, there was a lot less stress floating about by the time we got in the car!
I am too looking forward to know how this will turn out! đŸ™‚
I’m going to call it a successful experiment, for sure.
good luck! some times it is worth just letting go of expectations and letting things just happen as they may. the way I see it, we will all get where we are going eventually, and we are all where we are meant to be right now!
True–and I know that’s true. The only thing that changes if I don’t stress is… I don’t stress!