Lesson in patience...

I have the incredible privilege of flying to Arizona today, to spend a long weekend with my parents. Late last night, I tossed random clothes, a swim suit, sunscreen and a hairbrush into a battered roller bag, truly grateful that it mattered not at all what I'd be wearing the next few days. I pulled a half-dozen books off my shelf (and still bought a new one at the airport!), because, well... books! I printed out some docs I'll need for a few work calls on Monday, and even put my "out of office" on my email.

However, I did get on this plane with a half-dozen "must do" email & writing tasks for work and volunteering projects, several of which are overdue. I knew my four-hour flight could serve as a work time, and I jotted out my most important tasks on a post-it, forcing me to stay focused once I opened my computer.

And here I am, with shaky, unstable, check-your-connection internet on this plane, frustrated as heck AND striving to see a few lessons here:

* Technology is amazing. How is it that I can be flying over Kansas AND writing this blog post? Imagine the audacity of this expectation! Thank you, technology folks, for making my world connected in incredible, awe-inspiring ways. I'm sorry I'm yelling at you (in my head, in my head!).

* Lists rock. The very act of having the list makes me feel more in control. If they don't all get done, they won't get forgotten. Exhale. And again. There you go, Lisa.

* I love my work. I truly love my coaching work, my professional learning work, my teaching life. I love my volunteer work fighting against hateful anti-honesty in education bills, organizing at my church and co-leading racial equity work in my community. That is a blessing. To do work I love, each day, with many people I consider friends, role models and heroes. 

* I'm sorry. If this doesn't get done now, I can apologize and strive to do better. I am definitely a last-minute person, and if only I could promise a little less or learn to set more realistic timelines, I might find my path toward timeliness. 

* Yes to books. Turns out I was so smart, putting a few extras in my carry-on! Cause if you've got a book, you can step away from your current (tech-challenged) reality and within a few minutes, you're learning/escaping/wondering/enjoying and the fact is, the "must do" list will be waiting for me when I land.

I've tried 100 times to upload this photo; how perfect that it's just a gray square?