For reasons that are not important to explain here, I’ve had a stressful couple of weeks. I’ve found myself thinking … well, not exactly straight a few times.

You know the feeling. You have things on your mind and you don’t exactly think about what’s right in front of you. Maybe you go through motions. Maybe you depend on habit to get you through.

One of the things that’s been going on is crazy allergies and sinus headaches. So last week when my sinuses were throbbing on the day my book group was to meet, I thought I was being so smart to take some pain reliever a couple of hours in advance so I would have half a chance to feel well during this highlight of my month.

Twenty minutes later I started feeling woozy. It was a sensation I recognized, and it didn’t bode well. I went back to the medicine cabinet for another look.

I had taken a sleeping pill, not pain reliever. Oh, this was going to be a fun book group.

I survived. I had coffee at suppertime (for the first time in my life!), cajoled my husband to drive to the meeting, and had my pick of offers to drive me home. I even remember our discussion. (Well, sort of.)

You might think I should have just stayed home. But my fabulous book group is exactly what I need at stressful times. Food. Books. Friends. Laughter. Friends who can laugh with me.

Goodness, why would I give up book group because of a silly mistake about pills?

Doing something for myself that brings meaning and joy is a far better antidote to stress than surrendering to being temporarily overwhelmed.

So what’s overwhelming you right now? And what are you doing to take care of yourself?

P.S. Congratulations to Marilyn in Michigan who won last week’s drawing of 3 Amish Turns of Times books.