It's been another fun holiday weekend with family and friends.   A much needed, wonderfully relaxing way to reset and recharge after a very intense week.  

The fast pace of work and our summer schedule started to get to me this past week.   I was stressed and emotional, finding excuses to stay in bed longer and run for shorter durations in the morning, second-guessing myself at work and just generally feeling tired and worn out.  

And then the universe started sending me signs, telling me that my life was falling out of balance.   

Monday night, I attended a funeral for an old friend, who died tragically and unexpectedly and much too young.  And it made me remember how fragile life is.

Tuesday night, Jake and I were cleaning his room and I found an old toy motorcycle that had belonged to my dad, who passed away 9 years ago, also much too young.   And I thought about how sad it is that he isn't here to see my children growing up.

Thursday, Jake got hit by a car and thrown off his bike into the road while I was at work.  He wasn't wearing his helmet and somehow came away with only minor road rash and a nice-sized goose egg on his head.  And I thought about how my life could have been forever changed that day.

All of these signs were telling me that I needed to slow down, take a deep breath and re-prioritize the important things in my life. 

I hadn't said goodbye to Jacob that morning in my rush to get out the door for a work meeting.  I am still so very grateful that I was able to hold him tight when I finally got to him after the hour-long drive home from work. 

It seemed that every time I looked at my watch this weekend, even the clock on my Fitbit was sending me a sign.  The first time it was 11:11, so I made a wish.  Then it was 2:22, then 3:33.  And each time, I paused to think.  The sequence of numbers made me reflect on the sequence of events in my life and the things they continue to teach me.

I thought about the people in my life that I love so very much.  My children, who challenge me every day to have patience and appreciate their differences and how they approach things.  My amazing friends, who make me laugh and talk me off the ledge when life gets overwhelming.  And my family, the whole bunch of them, with all of their quirks and unique personalities, who I wouldn't trade for the entire world. 

These signs were telling me to stop overthinking, to stop spending my energy on things that don't really matter, and to be confident in my abilities and my strength.  

And the brightest sign of all was telling me that life doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.   

Keep your eyes open and watch for your own signs, they are all around you. And be sure to read them with an open mind and a grateful heart!