Hi. It's me again.

It was actually less stressful a day at work on Thursday than I thought it would be. Since I had that conversation with you, I have to admit I wonder, now, if you had something to do with it.

The truth? No. You had everything to do with it. You did just as we talked about: you allowed events to unfold, and just as the butterfly needs no help (in fact, any 'help' will cause harm) in unfurling its wings for the first time, neither does your life require a firm (read:overly controlling) hand on the tiller.

It's funny that you mention it, because I do remember a couple of times Thursday when I could have had my shoulders all tensed up around my ears. Instead, I shrugged, refused to be drawn into the drama, and waited to see how people would decide, on their own, to come to a common area of agreement. Amazingly, they did!

It's no miracle. It is just the way things flow if they are allowed to do so. The Universe is set up to provide just this kind of slick surface upon which we can all glide along, or the river which flows steadily without fail within which we can ride the gentle current. Folks from Minnesota choose the first analogy in the winter, and folks in Alabama choose the latter any day they like.

I'm glad to see that I (you? we?) have a sense of humor.

Believe me--there's no way to get through this without one. It is so true that laughter allows one to escape from considering any situation or problem too seriously. Of course, it sometimes takes the addition of some separation from the event--the passage of some time--before it becomes funny.

Well, I've got to go mow the lawn now.

See? Yet another advantage to being yourSelf. I don't have to mow the lawn.