Dear Reader:

I remember the first time someone advised me to stop “ruminating”…I looked at the person like they were crazy… I didn’t get the connection… instead I was shown a diagram similar to the title picture today and given an explanation about how “ruminate ” stomaches ( like cows) have four compartments… so after grazing… their digestion goes on and on … repeating each digestive procedure four times.

Obviously the light still hadn’t come on when I inquired if I was being called a cow! ” No,” came the weary response but your obsession with this old problem has gotten to the point of ridiculousness! This IS the fourth time you have brought it up and it took place weeks ago! For goodness sakes, you are ” ruminating over a problem that no longer exists in your present moment… you are just wasting time ” chewing the cud” over and over repeatedly to no avail and making yourself miserable for no reason… and I might add …your friends miserable too… listening to it repeatedly!”

( I think I would rather have been called a cow!)

But my friend was right… though today the expression ” beating a dead horse” might be more understood. Wasting time on an issue that is simply over and should have been put to rest.

The worst thing about over-thinking every problem or challenging situation that comes our way is that it spoils happy moments and steals our joy… and the thief doing it is ourself. Sounds crazy doesn’t it but yet the vast majority of us humans spend far too much of our precious time on earth doing just that… overthinking everything!

As I age I get better at letting past problems go but I, admittedly, overthink possible future problems…I let those 2am ” But What If” monsters slither into bed with me… and imagine worst case scenario’s .. leaving me wide awake and frustrated. I just wasted a night of blissful sleep to worry about something that has a better chance of never happening than not… and even if it does my sacrifice of sleep and worry did nothing but add pre-meditated anguish without knowledge.

Last Wednesday as I took Jackson to the airport she was telling me her son, Matthew, was always telling her to slow down , stop and just breathe.” She found it extremely irritating… and always responded…” I am breathing!”…just about that time Jackson’s mobile phone rang and it was Matthew letting her know he would be there to pick her up in Philly… asking how she was feeling about the trip and reminding her to ” Just Breathe!” I had to laugh when I heard Jackson respond ” I AM breathing!”

So until tomorrow… When it comes to overthinking… we should simplify our situations and just take a deep breath, let it go, and breathe!” Right Matthew? 😉

My Easter lilies are doing that… four blooms from one! They concentrate all their energies into blooming! And don’t ” ruminate” over the fallen blooms to come.

Deer love hostas, hibiscus, and lilies so I am glad my latest deer didn’t see my Easter lilies out front but instead came to visit me early Sunday morning as I was watering! I should be mad… but I fall under the spell of their beautiful expressions and demeanor. Very friendly!

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh