Being Busy and Staying Sane

It has been another busy week. I am not complaining busy is good. But I have been operating outside of my comfort zone, furiously paddling around in the deep-end and fervently praying that I am getting most things at least approximately right.

As a counterpoint to all this busyness I took a favourite poetry book down from the shelf. It’s a collection edited by Daisy Goodwin called 101 Poems to Keep you Sane which has the rather endearing sub-title – Emergency Rations for the Seriously Stressed. In it I found this gem of a short poem by one of my favourite poets – Emily Dickinson.

‘Much madness is divinest sense
To a discerning eye;
Much sense the starkest madness.
Tis the majority
In this, as all, prevails.
Assent, and you are sane,
Demur, – you’re straightaway dangerous,
And handled with a chain.’

I don’t think I can properly explain why I love this poem so much. I just do. I find reading it has a calming medative effect. As well as short bouts of poetry reading here’s what else got me through my busy week.

• A daily caffeine fix, yes I know that’s not exactly healthy but I don’t over indulge normally limiting my intake to a max of two cups a day.
• Sorting out each evening what I am going to wear the following day; this strategy meant I avoided mad bouts of early morning wardrobe rummaging.
• Having lots of food in the fridge so I didn’t have to race around the supermarket each evening wondering what exactly might do for dinner.
• Lastly realizing that the world is not going to come to an end if I don’t get absolutely everything done.

I have neglected the blog of late; I will be back on track next week. I hope you had a good weekend – talk to you soon.