I surprised myself that I haven’t written here in several weeks.  It’s been one of those demanding times in life, though, where lots of activities and commitments, family and otherwise, have all come within the same week or two.  Even good stress is still stress, and it takes its toll whether I will it to or not.

Even good stress is still stress:  overwealmth.  Overwealmth is the word I coined many years ago when, as director of the Sexual Assault Centre, our centre was the recipient of vastly increased funding.  It was the fulfillment of our dreams — but it darn near killed me!  It demanded an entirely different way of thinking, and it demanded huge public accountability as well.

I amaze myself with how I can keep on keeping on; at the same time I’m horrified by how much toll daily life can sometimes take (like now).  It’s difficult to discern when one should be in “heroic mode,” as I call it, and when one should put on the breaks, take time off, and just hibernate for a few hours or a few days.  Usually I try to pay attention to the physical symptoms:  do I need to take more medication just to get through the day, am I sleeping well, or sleeping enough, do I feel like I could burst into tears at any moment?

Methinks it’s time to become a bear for a few days.  Bears hibernate, take care of themselves, take care of their offspring.  And they sleep — to survive.