Stream of consciousness--and a good thing

Today's 100 words:

I feel out of sorts, not myself, like something isn't quite right, and I don't know if it's only the respiratory infection I've had for a couple of weeks or the ear infection I was just diagnosed with or the fact that ever since the end of February, everything in my life has been go, go, go when all I want--all I need, really--is to rest, to relax, to take some time to breathe and just be because honestly, I don't know how much longer I can go on this way at this pace: too fast, so fast.

As much as I've felt strange lately, I was able to push those feelings aside yesterday when my little boy, only five years old, ran up to me in the library, a book clutched in his hands. It was a "big kid" book meant for much older children--no pictures, chapters, lots of words--but he was so excited to check it out, so excited for me to read it to him bit by bit. We started it yesterday, and although I'm not sure he has the focus yet to really concentrate on such a story, I'm so proud of him for wanting to try, and I'll never forget the excitement on his face and the look of pride in his eyes as he clutched that book. I guess it's true that there's always a silver lining if one looks carefully enough.

The race

Today's 100 words:

One day blends into another and then another, pushing the weeks and months and years, all passing so quickly--too quickly--and I try to catch up, trip-running over reluctant feet, resistant feet, feet that never wanted to sign up for the race, feet married to a body that wants to sit, stay, bask in a moment it knows its feeble lizard-mind will lose in a second, wants to hold up a hand, palm out, shout to a world that never listens, can't listen, "Stop! Wait! Breathe! Don't move so quickly to that inevitably approaching end. Please rest."