It began as business as usual....

Today was the first day back after a couple of weeks and it wasn't an easy slide in. I can't believe paper builds up when you're away from your desk - it actually appears before your very eyes (where does it come from?) and people actually 'wait' until you return. They all show up at the same time needing to talk to you. You sit half dazed wondering what they're talking about because your mind is still on 'holiday' mode!

This year I vowed not to do any work on my holidays. I usually dip into some of it before returning, but this year decided against it - I'd let it all be there when I returned and there it was.

On a sad note, one of our leads' mother passed away last evening. Everything was going crazy, phones ringing, emails flying onto the screen faster than the speed of light, clients arriving, suppliers delivering. I was frazzled and mother 'stress' was arriving on the scene. That's when 'K' walked in with his news. In a flash chaos filtered into thin air. How we were going to manage this hectic start seemed unimportant. Everything stood still. We talked and shed tears. Afterwards I sat at my desk with a sad heart. The buildup was tackled at a much slower pace. A lot of things didn't get done today, but that's ok. Tragedy sometimes works that way, doesn't it? Suddenly you realize what you're doing is important, but NOT more important than the connection to the human spirit. Giving time, being a compassionate ear and just reaching your arms out to give a gentle hug and letting a friend know you're there for them. Much too often we're self-absorbed by our work that we don't stop to think outside the box. Life has it's way of reminding us at the right time - this morning was that time for me.

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