Funny thing with me, I get into a routine of say, writing a blog post weekly, and then – boom – in comes life and switches stuff up.

I was doing well. For a while. But I have many (good) excuses:

My son is getting married (lots of details to address), My daughter returned from New Zealand last week, I have friends to visit, Family to love, People I know going though tough times.

Why does this get in the way of my commitment to write? I don’t know the answer, I simply know that it does. Routines are upended, which messes with my efficiency. But the people in my life need to come first. I want them to come first, even as I struggle with the loss of my well plodded, familiar, and yes, efficient, routines. My time management skills go (somewhat) out the proverbial window as I work to fit additional and sometimes unexpected happenings into my schedule – both the human and situational variety.

But then when I must write, I do. I wrote a book, after all.

I don’t zig zag well, going with the flow has its challenges. I do it, but not without discomfort if doing so affects something else in the plan. I find it a rock versus a hard kind of place.

On the other hand, I don’t want to miss out on the spontaneity and inclusion that pops up.

At a gala last night at Long Wharf, a prestigious local theater in New Haven honoring Kelli O’Hara, I ran into a friend who is a psychologist. She took the time to remind me that I do indeed have balance in my writing life. It may not always look the way I think it should, but it’s there.

I am reminded to feel grateful for my inefficiency (it means I am human), for my distractions (it means I have friends, family and situations to consider), and for my writing (because it has gotten me this far).

I’m one of the lucky ones.