Jessica Gazzola

I noticed most of the articles circulating around my social media circles are in list form.  Is it more appealing to read a list than a story?  Maybe numbering something makes it seem more authoritative.  I’m going to give it a try!  My first list… “Why I Dislike Lists.”

Let me first say that I was raised in a family of list makers and I’m married to one (a man who makes lists, not a list itself… I’m not that progressive).  I have memories growing up of lists placed neatly on our kitchen island in my mother’s handwriting that would include “cut toenails,” “make dinner,” and lastly, “make a new list.”   I glean from some that one can feel a great sense of satisfaction from crossing things off lists.  To all of you happy list-makers out there, I love you and I am not judging you.  I NEED people like you.  But, despite my efforts, I am a sorry list maker.  Here are 7 reasons why:

1. I get to the grocery store and my list is sitting on the counter at home.
2. In spite of my dislike, I have lists on various shreds of paper all over the house. I quickly lose them and need to replicate said lists only to find them weeks later behind my dresser, under the fridge, or in my 10 month old’s mouth.
3. Planning what I’m going to do in a day is like making a map for a squirrel’s nuts in autumn. I start out focused and then a more pressing issue arises or there’s an interesting story on NPR or a glitter explosion needs to be cleaned up… there’s always bigger nuts and more holes to dig and who can remember what we were “planning” to do?! This is especially true since having kids.
4. My lists remind me of all of the things I did not accomplish today.
5. Where do all the pens go? Or I have a pen, but the only paper I have to write on is a reminder to visit my gynecologist.  Do I really want to bring that to the store?
6. I’m occasionally gifted with pretty magnetic pads of paper from my list-making family. That paper is always the first to go when my kids have a sudden uncontrollable urge to draw.  (Hey, where’d they get that pen?!)
7. I can’t remember what I was going to write…

I’m stopping at 7 because the baby may wake up soon and, keeping with the theme of this blog, 7 is a holy number.

In case you’re worried, I really am a (mostly) functioning member of society.  I take solace in the examples of Scripture.  A Father who made lists (the 10 Commandments come to mind) and a Son who sometimes disregarded them (Matthew 12:1-8).  And everything turned out all-right for Jesus, right?  Oh… wait.

May whatever you do today, list or no list, be a prayer!