I think I used to get caught up in NOT being able to say No!!!! I thought if I said no to you and did not do something that might make your life brighter and sweeter I was missing out on my God given calling. It took me more years than I wanted to admit that if I said Yes to everything then nothing was important and all things carried the same weight.
I forgot who said It so that I can credit them but they hit me between the eyes when they said, that for everything that I say yes too then it is a no to something else. I am afraid for many years I said yes to work and other things because I thought I had to and that was a no to my family.
Thankfully over the years I have learned that EVERYTHING does not carry the same importance. I have also learned that there are seasons of my life that I say lots of yeses and seasons where No is my quick response.
I have learned a great thing to say….. “It is No for now.” That does not mean it will always be no but for now it is NO!!! That seems to make me feel better and perhaps gives a little less weight to the no to others.
The idea that there is limited time that I have to enjoy this lovely planet was emphasized when my sweet husband passed away and I had little tolerance for the things in life that were no longer meant for me. The idea that my time here was fleeting and I wanted to fill it up with as much wonder and cut out the rest was at the forefront of my heart and mind.
Now here we are again with another life-changing event with our world rocked with COVID and I suspect that many of us are deciding that what we once thought important pales in comparison to our health and our family and our spiritual walk. So right now It is NO for now to so many things for me so that I can say yes to those precious friends that have held me up and taken back seats to ambitions that are empty. It is YES to my family and to weekend trips and spontaneous walks and talks and just spending time listening and sometimes doing nothing. It is YES to more quiet time with God and being amazed that in the midst of so much uncertainty there is this quiet peace that I can rely on.