Permission
Permission
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.
—Ecclesiastes 4:6
Recently, I’ve needed permission to slow down, to say no, to admit my fragility and exhaustion.
When I said, “Babe, I’m too tired, I can’t catch up. Something’s wrong,” Aaron gave me the first avalanche of permission in this season.
When my friend and mentor Nancy invited me to an event in California and I sent a wild, rambling, e-mail about how overwhelmed I felt, she replied: STOP. Say no. Remake your life in a way that works for you, and remake it now.
When I said to my dad, I think I need next year to be really different. I’m kind of too tired. I’m kind of scared, he replied, I’m so glad to hear this. I’ve been worried about you, and I love that you’re going to slow things down.
When I told our small group, I can’t do it. Maybe this would work for a stronger person, but I’m done trying to pretend I can run like this, Matt said, We don’t care what you do or don’t do. We’re actually not impressed by you. We love you, and that’s a different thing.
What a gift. Those four voices gave me the permission I needed to remake my life.
ARE YOU feeling exhausted and overwhelmed? Do you need to let something go, to walk away, to put down something that you’ve been carrying for way too long? Do you need permission or affirmation for those choices? Who can give that to you?
From the book
