Getting home at 11pm isn’t exactly a relaxing day.

Somewhere in between the status meetings, launch planning, production chats, birthday gathering, budget developing, PowerPoint-ing, server perusing, meeting coordination, regrouping, logistics-discussing, foraging for leftover food and hobbling through the halls, I realized my energy was at an all-time low by early afternoon. It’s been a long week, and a day of back to back to back to back to back to back meetings can wear on even the hardiest of souls.

Later in the day, things started to look up. A co-worker’s birthday yielded a tasty cake and a break from the chaos (yay for sugar rushes), and my first practice with some fellow musicians yielded something even tastier:

A second wind.

There’s a quote that talks about how if you’re doing what you love, it’s never really “work.” I agree with this for the most part, but chances are that everything you love doing still requires at least a small percentage of work, upkeep or maintenance attached to it. And for me, this is fine. It’s a package deal. And it probably is something that makes you appreciate the other 98% of said activity/hobby/etc. even more.

No, getting home at 11pm doesn’t make for a relaxing day. But it’s funny how making time for and committing to the things that bring you the most joy can provide a sense of calm and a full tank after a day of running on empty.

Tonight I am thankful for second winds. And while I’ve enjoyed it, I’m also thankful my bed is just around the corner in the other room. Nighty night.