Involuntary Deceleration

It has been one of those days where I had a number of things on my agenda that I hoped to accomplish.  I started very early, (out the door by 7:00 a.m.) and was full of anticipation for what was looking to be a great day.  However, no matter how much you plan, there are almost always variables unaccounted for.  Sometimes I just need to slow down, decelerate a bit.
People who know me well know that I usually function at about 100 mph, and I get a lot done.  I don't like to waste time so I generally have a book or some work with me when I'm out.  I only had one hard and fast appointment today so the rest of my day was just a bunch of other errands I wanted to get done (like grocery shopping and some networking).  Luckily the cupboards aren't bare yet so we won't starve.

I had stopped at the community college campus to post some flyers and when I came out to my car one of my tires was flat!  Just one of those "variables" right?  Well yeah except I had just had two brand new tires put on yesterday.  I wasn't a happy camper let me tell you. 
Needless to say I called the service manager where I bought the tires from and he advised me to call roadside assistance to have the spare put on, and then to come right in to have it looked over.  So that's what I did.  At least I had my camera. 
While I was waiting I looked around and noticed some pinkish-red blossoms on an ornamental type tree and snapped some shots.  Everything looks so lush right now around the finger lakes.  I realized what a nice day it was.
Forty-five minutes later help arrived and a pleasant young man changed the tire and had me on my way in just a few moments.  I headed down the road to my service-center, as instructed, and low and behold they found that the valve stem was defective.  It was promptly replaced and I was off again. 
I never did get the groceries.  But I'm safe, and nothing terrible happened, and I needed to use up some of the stuff in the pantry anyway.  Pot luck here I come!

Grief Relief

It seems that there's a pill for everything these days, and in some cases it helps to alleviate pain and suffering.  Other times however, there is no chemical or man-made remedy that can even begin to touch the depth of one's anguish. 
Please don't misunderstand me.  I have friends that were prescribed sedatives immediately following the deaths of spouses, children or other close loved ones.  Their pain was so acute that even an hours rest was impossible to achieve without some sort of assistance; and rest, sleep, is the only thing that takes the pain away really. 
They were all admonished that this was just a temporary fix, and to only use it for the first few days.  And it did help them to get through that paralyzing, grueling initial phase of the loss, but that was just the beginning of a long, difficult journey to recovery-yes recovery.
I myself lost my mother during my first pregnancy, and because of my condition could not partake of any "chemical relief."  The blow that her death dealt me was an emotional wound like no other I'd ever experienced up to that point.  And like any other wound, I would need to recover from it too.  Eventually the scar would be incorporated into my life and I would go on, fully functioning, fully living, but not for a surprisingly long time.
What got me through was people.  People and time, their time.  Dear friends were at my side as much as was humanly possible for weeks, and even months.  We don't, we can't get through the loss of a loved one by ourselves, although we try.  Sometimes we have no choice and that's sad.  People don't have time to give, but how else can we show we really care? 
Weeks and months later when the cards stop coming, the food is long gone and the flowers have died we feel forgotten.  Being there, listening, giving our time is what will make the bereaved feel cared for still, and ultimately carry them on to recovery.