Life with Margin

I’m an expert at overscheduling.  If you saw my calendar, I’m sure you would judge me.  How do I know?  Well, let’s just say that I used to judge people like me.  My internal dialogue would criticize busy people and reason that they must be attempting to fill a void or better yet, a-void life’s demands like laundry, cleaning and grocery shopping.  While this might be true, it is foremost not my place to judge because at the end of the day, I’m accountable for me, and only me. 

So, does my schedule reveal what is most important to me?  Does my calendar allow for what my heart holds most dear?  I usually rationalize that everything in my calendar is “good.”  And by good I mean that it’s enriching for my kids, allows for ministry to those in need and provides the ability to be a good steward of my health, marriage and family.  Bulletproof.  It’s all “good.”  Well, I recently challenged my justification when I realized that most of my thoughts centered around sleep, wishing I had more of it and wishing I could live without it.  Although certain seasons of life call for a busier schedule, mine was reaching its limit.  It simply wasn’t sustainable.  I had to cut things out—even the “good” things.  When I minimized my obligations (one of which I wish could have been washing and folding laundry!), life started to feel do-able again.  It wasn’t magic.  Life still had loads of responsibility.  But honestly, I felt overjoyed that my life had margin. 

​Merriam-Webster defines margin as “an extra amount of something (such as time or space) that can be used if it is needed.”  This is exactly what I had in my life again.  Kids spill juice in the kitchen.  No worries—I actually have more than 30 seconds to clean it up.  Children have their melt-downs.  Instead of being annoyed and frustrated, I have the ability to understand the “why” behind their emotions.  I have a friend in need.  This news is not an obligation, but instead a profound opportunity to be a blessing.  Life with margin has allowed me to come back to myself, to savor what I cherish and have my calendar more accurately reveal what I value.  Does your life have margin?

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