Sometimes I think I’ve lost my mind. Most of the time I know I’ve just misplaced it. I’ve decided that my forgetfulness is not a product of mental deterioration; it’s a matter of juggling. Juggling what? Life. I have too many balls in the air at once and I’m bound to drop one occasionally. Lately I’ve been longing for simplicity. I’m throwing things out of cupboards more easily. Giving things away. Saying “I can’t.” Admitting that some of my clothes deserve to be in the give-away pile. Not turning on the television—at all. I’m even considering getting a Kindle or Nook or whatever so that I can download books rather than store them when I’m done reading them. (This is something I never, ever, thought I would say since I love to hold books, bend the spine, underline and write notes in them, even!) Serenity, tranquility, calm, peace, joy sound much more appealing than multi-tasking, bustling around, clutter, disarray and haste. I used to pride myself on taking on huge tasks and getting them done (like inviting 300 people through my house for my daughter’s graduation, for example.) Now I wonder where I can order a lovely dinner party for four delivered to my home. Can you tell I just finished one book and am in a race to complete another? This is always the time I decide to revamp my life. Studies show that multitasking doesn’t work. What works is focusing on one thing until it’s done and then starting another. It takes too much time for the mind to shift from one task to another. I’ve tried it and I believe that’s true. I refuse to wear “I can get three/four/five things done at once” as a badge of honor any more. I think it’s the way for me to find my sanity again. I’ll bet if I clean out a closet, I’ll find my errant brain hiding on a shelf, waiting for calm and good sense to be restored. .