My Full Plate

I like to carry a full plate. Most days I think it to be the most fun way to travel. I like diversity. I like having a variety to choose from. It’s one of the reasons I chose to create this part of my life to include multiple revenue streams. I never get bored.

It wasn’t always like that for me. I used to stop when my plate got too full. There were only two ways I knew how to make room for more. One was to remove something, the other to become paralyzed, look at the crowded plate and spend more energy wondering how I would handle it all instead of doing anything about it. One day a friend remarked that when my plate got too full, I should think about getting a bigger one.

I liked that idea and whenever I find myself angsting about all I’ve piled on I remember that comment.

Thursday  I looked at my Thanksgiving dinner plate filled with a little bit of everything, turkey with gravy, sausage stuffing with chestnuts and pine nuts, roasted potatoes, carrots, brussel sprouts, and spanokopita (hey, I am a Greek American).

I was full after just a few mouthfuls. Had I piled too much on? I wasn’t sure, so I took small bites and tried to savor each one. And I remembered that this was just the beginning. This was the official start to the holiday season. No matter how big a plate I reach for, it’s going to get full and quickly.

So what do you do when you are in the habit of carrying around a pretty big plate to start with? How do you fit in the December side dishes, the holiday cocktails, tree trimmings and cookie baking. The shopping, the gift wrapping,

Is this one of those times that no matter how big that plate is, not everything is going to fit? And if it’s not, how do you decide what should stay and what should go? Or do you just wear the clothes that are a bit more comfortable and give yourself a daily quota of cocktails and cookies?

I finished every bit of my turkey dinner. I even had an extra dollop of stuffing and spanokopita and finished that off with a dessert that officially marked the end of my two and a half weeks worth of birthday celebrations.

When I started I didn’t think I would finish half of it.
I wonder if that is how I will feel on January 1.

What do you do when your plate gets too full?
Do you reach for a bigger one or wait until you get through the one in your hand?