Connor and I finished up our addition flash cards the other night and I couldn’t help but beam with pride at my boy who’s quite adept at math. I’ve mentioned it before but he just has a way with numbers … adding, subtracting, even some simple multiplication.

It got me thinking. There are things in life that need to be added and those that need to be subtracted. For some, that list is pretty small. They are in balance. For me, the list gets longer. I’m still much, much too hard on myself and I get frustrated when I feel like I know what I need to have more of and alternatively, less of, but I just.can’t.do.it. 

I started noting a list in my head and figured I should jot it down … in the spirit of transparency and all. Some are pretty deep and others, well, let’s just say I got distracted. But, I mean every one. Every.single.one.

Add more of these:

• the Truth
• the truth (yes, this is different than the one above)
• snuggle time with connor
• self-confidence
• peace
• prayer
• time to give back
• balance
• appreciation for what my body can do
• hugs
• vulnerability
• rest
• photography
• pinterest
• (free) fresh flowers
• fat free reddi wip
• calorie-free cake batter ice cream
• male Olympic swimming, and specifically Ryan Lochte

and less of these:

• the Lie
• the lies (yes, this is different than the one above)
• busy-ness with Connor
• self-loathing
• war (internal/external/over religion)
• self-reliance
• overanalyzing
• disdain for what my body isn’t
• technology (being “on”)
• fear of letting people in
• distrust
• mental overload
• poison ivy
• calorie-free salad dressing
• dressage (look it up)

And, although math (especially addition and subtraction) is easy to solve, I thought of another way to figure out these “problems”.

It’s in Job (oh, my boy Job; we go way back) 1:21.

” … GOD gives, GOD takes. …” (The Message)