Just today...

When I used to work in MA and was IN CHARGE OF THE ENVIRONMENT, the cubicle next to me was, for a time, occupied by a certain lovely lady named Lucia. Lucia was many things-- an awesome writer, a beautiful woman, a chick with a badass tattoo, a calming influence in a sea of anger, etc. She had shaved her head, picked her own name (Lucia= bringer of light), she had no problem standing up to assholes who made me shake in my cute shoes, and giving hugs exactly when they were needed. She liked to sleep. Lucia was my hero.

On her computer, there were two post-it notes on either side of her screen:

Just today... Nothing is on fire.

And on the top of her screen:

Breathe.

Some less enlightened folks in the office made fun of these post-its. They mocked them. They didn't understand them. And I guess, until today, neither did I. How often we forget to breathe. How often we let the fires in our lives overtake our days.

Today, the sun was shining. I had lunch with my husband. The pizza was hot.
Tonight, the fans are cooling down the heat of the downstairs. The beer is sweating on the table next to me. It is very cold. The garlic was extra spicy that I put into the fresh guacamole I made. The avocado was very green.

Today, I breathed at work and looked around and thought "I am doing a good job."
Today a client signed a contract that I've been waiting for, and I made my boss some money. Another client joked with me on the phone. My coworkers made me laugh. They teased me about being afraid of spiders. Today we stopped for coffee. Today, I put myself before my life and all the demands of it.

Just today... nothing is on fire.
Breathe.

I get it.