What happens when you get derailed? When things you have been doing regularly, almost habitually, suddenly just stop?

That happened last week. I’m going to blame it on Friday the 13th. I dropped my listing practice. I dropped my photography. I just sat. I didn’t even try to work on the revisions to my novel. It seemed I fell off the face of the earth.

But yesterday, I channeled my inner Scarlet O’Hara, pulled myself up out of the chasm I had fallen into, and decided, “Tomorrow is another day.” I gave myself permission to restart.

So yesterday, I made two lists. The first one addressed Liz’s prompt:

Things I Love About the Season:

1. Cool, crisp, clean air
2. Bluer skies
3. The changing leaves and the crunch beneath my feet
4. Sweater weather
5. Apples from mountain orchards
6. Sully’s birthday–our miracle

This is the second list, based on Liz’s “meditation,” for lack of a better word:

Things I’m Beginning–Again

1. Listing my five things
2. Catching up on my writing
3. Spending time daily in God’s Word
4. Regular walks outdoors, even if it’s only to the mailbox and bax
5. Photo challenges and projects
6. Keeping my blog

Today’s prompt was just to list five things:

1. Yesterday was hard. It just was. I had a headache; I was groggy.
2. “Tomorrow is another day.” (channeling my inner Scarlet O’Hara)
3. Autumn may be my favorite season
4. Hot cinnamon spice tea in the morning is nice.
5. I almost aced the Wednesday NYT crossword puzzle, finished the Wordle on the sixth try, and made all four by process of elimination in the Connections puzzles, and got a perfect on the Tiles puzzle.
6. I’ve ordered my groceries, including a new journal, oil pastels, sketching pencils, and a sketchbook to start my art practice again.

Okay, so I don’t follow diretions and list “just” five things.

And something random to share–this meme a teacher friend posted on Facebook:

In a way, creating these lists daily is a way of saying “I made it. I’m still here.” lovely thought!