Finding the Thyme

I searched the cabinets, I knew that I had some thyme and I only needed just a little. It's a small addition, only half a teaspoon, but to a large pot of homemade chicken noodle soup, it's that one little extra that makes all the difference. I pulled a kitchen chair over to the upper cabinet where the spices are kept; crawled up to have a better look, and searched far in the back. "What are you looking for?" my husband asked, "thyme" I replied. "Do you think you'll find it in there?" he laughed. Not "TIME", I explained. And yet, that's something that I am constantly trying to find more of! If I can squeeze any extra minutes, or hours, that I can use each and every day, I try to use them wisely.  Maybe it's "found time" to stitch up a quilt block, do another load of laundry, bake a loaf of bread or sweep the porch. I admit to being very scheduled and, probably, a bit rigid when it comes to self-imposed routines; the kind that are all task-based. Over the last few months I've found myself sitting on the floor beside Augie when he eats his meals, as a puppy this totals three meals a day. We've never had a dog before who didn't gobble his kibble down the minute it hit the dish. Augie requires some coaxing; he's definitely not food-driven. Once he settles in at his bowl, he'll eat if we stay right there on the floor beside him. At first I thought "I don't have time for this." But, as time has gone on, I realize how much I look forward to this bonding time with my puppy. In the whole scheme of things, it's a very short amount of time spent, but it truly does make all the difference to Augie. Where else can that little bit of time have an impact? A phone call to a distant friend? An extra minute spent in conversation with a lonely church member after worship? A short, impromptu, walk in the neighborhood on a pleasant afternoon? There are places in even the most rigid of schedules (mine) for some unplanned relaxation of the timetable. Just like half a teaspoon in a large pot of soup, it's that something extra that can make all the difference. Oh, and yes; I did find the thyme and the soup was delicious!

    Life is Good!