Growing Versions

My days are full of looking for shortcuts at the moment. I am in hot pursuit of hacks. Life has become a series of edits, and revisions. Some shortcuts feel like drastic measures, reserved for emergencies, Others are technically shortcuts, but are actually substantially better than their longcut comrades. There is a small path leading from our house to the school that makes our day better and even gives my kids independence because they can use it to get to school safely without me, if needed. What are your best shortcuts?

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."-Anais Nin

When things speed up, I feel like I am observing my kids in a blur.  I try to hold on tight, but I am often left just clutching air as they (and more often me) whiz past.  The balloon from the party on the weekend floats above us, it's like a symbol of the minutes that I managed to be present, absolving me, while it slowly loses air.