I just dropped my teenager off at school. Another Monday morning. Another week (this, the week before Thanksgiving) looming large and coming in fast. My head dove right in to what I needed to do the minute I hit home. Shower, then email, then run to my 9:30 breakfast meeting – no, wait! She has a sick child, so that’s been cancelled. Right. Email first, then shower.

Sitting at the red light, I looked down and realized my hands were gripping the steering wheel so tightly I could feel the tension all the way up to my shoulders. Breathe. Let go. Now gently take the wheel back. Light but firm control on the wheel. Consciously holding the wheel with a lighter touch. Breathe. Breathe.

How many times, I wonder, do we grip the wheel of our lives so tightly without realizing what a chokehold we have? What would happen if we stopped. Let go. And then consciously re-engaged with a lighter hold. A gentle but firm awareness. What would we be making room for if we gave up our death grip? I imagine more life would flow in.

Why don’t we try it and see?