&

I do not run marathons. In fact, I rarely do much of anything that could be considered exercise. I’m pretty sure I burn most of my extraneous calories through worrying. I’m so good at worrying I’ve had wrinkles since before I was into double-digit ages, and gray hair since 19. I have been on five different kinds of anti-anxiety medication. I’m right in the middle of the healthy-weight range for my height and build though, which I attribute mostly to this stress-calorie-burning machine my body must be.

What do I worry about? In short, everything. I worry about small, immediate things like am I going to get called into this meeting that starts at 9:30? Did I turn my headlights off in my car? Did I forget my office keys? I worry about other small, less-immediate things like will I get everything done today that I need to do? How will my meeting at 10:45 with students go? What’s for lunch? What am I going to play on my radio show tomorrow? What am I going to wear the rest of the week to work? Will this snowstorm affect this weekend’s trip to the Georgia College Press Association? How is my family doing? How are my friends?

These are easy though. These are like things to worry about to keep my mind off the Big Worries. Am I doing the right things with my life? Am I a good person? Am I doing enough good things for other people? Do I make a difference? Does my life matter? Those big ones can crush you if you think about them too much.

Don’t worry. I’m worried enough for the lot of us.