The feeling when your tire pressure light goes on…

I used to think it was harder than it really is

It's cold. I'm running late. I start the engine, and the "check tires" light comes on, bringing my progress to a screeching halt. I don't have time for this! I never feel like I have time for this, even these days, when it seems the only places I have to go are the grocery story or meet a friend for an outdoor walk.

Yet, as I was recently showing my college-aged children how to check their tire pressure preemptively, I realize it doesn’t actually take as long as I thought it did, and the more I work with the air-pressure-measuring-thingy, the easier it gets. Suddenly, I realize that checking the air in my tires, like a lot of things, is not as stressful as initially thought.

We need to check our own air

Last March brought a screeching halt to life as we knew it. We weren't prepared because how could we have been? But just like car tires, we fare better with the unexpected when we've done steady maintenance – such as regularly checking our own inner resources, noticing when we need to top off with self-care, and employing our tools skillfully to cushion the inevitable bumps in the road.

~ Annie Moyer