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You are here: Home / Body / Take a Breath

Take a Breath

Evelyn Herwitz · August 31, 2021 · Leave a Comment

Monday was the first day I almost forgot to water my bonsai tree since I brought it home in June. I’ve been doing really well tending it. But Monday has been crazy. As I write on Monday afternoon, I have been on hold with U-Haul for the second time today, now for nearly an hour. Finally reached a customer service rep regarding my elder daughter’s truck reservation for her move this week, to adjust some important details that got changed at the last minute, succeeded with one issue, only to be put on hold again for the second issue.

Her job does not allow her the time to be on hold with U-Haul for over an hour—let alone, twice in one day. And August 31-September 1 is a very busy moving day in Massachusetts.

This is ridiculous.

Earlier on Monday, I chaired a detail-laden meeting for our synagogue, reviewing all the minutia for our upcoming Rosh Hashanah services next week, which have required many last-minute adjustments due to the pandemic, wrote up all the minutes, sent them out, updated important information on the synagogue website, and wrote an email for the congregation re same.

Then I ate lunch and realized I’d forgotten about my bonsai. Fortunately, its pebbly soil was still moist, so no harm done. Now it sits happily outside in the humid afternoon, well watered.

Back at my computer, I called U-Haul, for the second time. The first time, this morning, before the synagogue Zoom meeting, took about a half-hour, and confirmed pick-up of the truck. Then I had to finalize drop-off. About an hour into that call, a rep answered and was very helpful. (He was in North Dakota. Told me, even there, they have a shortage of vehicles right now, which is unusual. Thank goodness I reserved the truck earlier this month!) But he needed to hand me off to a second rep. They assure me that someone will be with me as soon as possible. The recording is repeatedly broken up by a ringing phone that no one answers.

I’m good at multi-tasking, and my years as a journalist taught me how to write while noise is blasting in the background. Still, this is both frustrating and annoying, to say the least.

At some point this will get resolved. Hopefully before I have to go to bed. . . .

Okay, finally got a human to speak to—who, of course, has no idea about what the first guy said and has different info than he suggested. (She was in Connecticut.) But at least we have final instructions. I hope.

Watering my bonsai was the one moment of calm all day.

Take a breath.

Evelyn Herwitz blogs weekly about living fully with chronic disease, the inside of baseballs, turtles and frogs, J.S. Bach, the meaning of life and whatever else she happens to be thinking about at livingwithscleroderma.com. Please view Privacy Policy here.

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Filed Under: Body, Hearing, Mind, Sight Tagged With: body-mind balance, mindfulness, resilience

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About the Writer

When not writing about living fully with chronic health challenges, Evelyn Herwitz helps her marketing clients tell great stories about their good works. She would love to win a MacArthur grant and write fiction all day. Read More…

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I am not a doctor . . .

. . . and don’t play one on TV. While I strive for accuracy based on my 40-plus years of living with scleroderma, none of what I write should be taken as medical advice for your specific condition.

Scleroderma manifests uniquely in each individual. Please seek expert medical care. You’ll find websites with links to medical professionals in Resources.

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