Waving, Not Drowning

Once upon a time, a woman of a certain age found herself in the middle of the ocean, swimming to stay afloat. The ocean had no beginning and no end -- it churned and moved beneath and around her. It was an ocean of activities, chores, jobs, to-do lists, and many more things -- too many to name -- which kept her constantly moving to keep her head above water far beyond the time it took the sun to arc across the sky . Sigh. Somewhere there must be a better way!
She looked up one day, mid-paddle and mid-errand, and noticed a raft bobbing in the water beside her. It didn't look as if it would hold her, but it's beautiful shade of purple enticed her to take the chance. Grabbing hold of the raft, her to-do list slipped from her hands. She worriedly watched it disintegrate and sink beneath the surface of the water as she hoisted herself onto the slim structure. Being that the raft was only 24" x 68" and 4mm thick -- the exact size of a standard yoga mat -- she was surprised it held her so well, and she fit quite comfortably.
She floated on top of the water -- the lists, the chores, the jobs, all forgotten. She rested and rejuvenated. She stretched and strengthened. She explored and quieted. She pressed into her big toe mound and back through her outer heel and felt the power inside her body. She brought her shoulder blades into her back and let her chest and heart lift, feeling refreshed and energized. She folded herself in two, deep into her hip creases, and rested with her head below her heart, quieting her mind. When on her purple 24" x 68" raft, life simplified. The unnecessary thoughts (My! There were so many of them!) seemed to fall away. Words went unspoken, and the world was none the worse for it. She felt alive and present to each moment, and felt her body fully inhabited.
Keeping her raft close by her side, she dove back into the water (after all, the kids did need to be picked up from school) with a restored body and a clearer mind. She created a new to-do list to replace the lost one, but this time made sure that it left her plenty of time to spend on her raft.
If you find yourself in the ocean and see this woman waving from the distance, don't worry, she is not drowning. She is just waving you over with an offer to share her raft.