The following tale was told to me during grad school by a student from Africa. Although I don't remember his name or his native country, I remember the story. It seems appropriate for many of us as we rush from a busy summer into a hectic fall.

A foreigner wanted to quickly reach a destination in the center of Africa. He paid several villagers to serve as his guide. For three days, they pushed through dense jungle, dangerous rivers and then arid desert. The foreigner urged the group to press ever onward, taking few breaks and sleeping a bit too little.  After the third day, the villagers sat down. The foreigner cajoled them to hurry on, but they refused. He implored them to continue, but they did not budget. He even bribed them and then threatened them, to no avail.

Finally, the foreigner asked them why they wouldn't go further.

"We have gone too fast and too far for three days," replied the villagers. "Now it is time for our spirits to catch up to our bodies."

Seeing the wisdom in these words, the foreigner too sat down. The next day, the band continued its way toward its destination with each person's spirit intact, with renewed enrgery and enthusiasm.

If you have spent the summer hurrying from filled, exciting weekends to busy work weeks and are now jumping headlong into a crazy season of work...
Or if you are a mom who has rushed from vacation to kid's summer camps to back-to-school shopping, and are now running at full speed into afternoon lessons, back-to-school activities and work, remember to take a moment to let your spirit catch up to you.  If you're a mom looking for more on self-renewal, transformation and connection to moms who are looking for the same things you are, you can find answers at Momference, an online gathering of mothers that is the first of its kind.  More on this subject in my next entry.