How big of a deal is it?

I would like to start by saying I have never been diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, diagnosis by husband notwithstanding. But here are just a few tidbits of what may be teensy-weensy indicators that I might have a touch of OCD.  First of all, I so relate to the person who once said, "I think I have OCD, but I like to call it CDO, so the letters are in alphabetical order.....just the way they are supposed to be".  Right?  
Here are a few others:
1.  My desk must be cleared of all papers when I leave it, even if it means throwing something away I will likely have to find online or elsewhere at a later date and time.
2.  My inbox cannot have unattended mail in it for longer than a few hours.
3.  When I am training, I line up my folder, clicker and timer (but I just want to brag that they don't have to be aligned with straight edges, although when they are, it's a huge bonus).
4.  I sniff the pages of books I read (and don't even get me started on how I feel about people who can read books on an e-reader!).
5.  I am, as we speak, numbering my examples of OCD-ness.

While the instances above may sound a bit bizarre, I feel I am actually making some progress to letting some things go.  Today, I was talking to my neighbor who mentioned she thought she was getting better at letting things go.  We talked about how it might be about getting older and just realizing things don't need to be as big of a deal as they used to be.  If the bed doesn't get made to military-corner perfectionism (did anyone else just shudder at the thought?), I am really okay.  If I don't actually put something on my list of things to do and I do it anyway, I can sometimes refrain from writing it on my list after the fact (I admit this one is hard).  My neighbor shared that she was getting a massage the other day and the masseuse said, "My, your right arm is thicker than your left arm."  My neighbor said, "Well, that is because I walk my dog with my right hand and he pulls quite a bit."  The masseuse said, "Hmmm...you definitely need to do something to cure that problem, huh?"  To which my neighbor said she would normally have agreed.  This time, however, she paused, and said, "You know, I have six children who have turned out great, seven grandkids who I adore, and a husband of 32 years who I like most days, too.  I'm thinking if my biggest problem is my dog pulling on the leash a little bit, then so be it!"  
I would have to agree.  I think we need to be sure to put the little things in perspective and make sure they stay "right-sized", and maybe even let go of some of those things we have previously been giving a bit too much attention.

Just for today, perhaps it is time to examine some things that we can let go.  In the meantime, I am headed into the kitchen to mark "Write blog" off my to-do list (or maybe put it on there if it wasn't there in the first place).

Happy Communicating!


Shelly 

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