How to tell if you have been very busy

what would you add?

May 26, 2026

Sometimes you can tell you have been very busy because you forget that trees are doing things.

You walk by, see and think: Yep. Tree. Like you’re taking attendance. No big deal. Just a tree.

Another sign:

Birds become background noise. As these flying weirdos go about conducting urgent meetings, you take no notice. Clouds become just weather instead of the slow parade of wondrous moody potatoes they actually are. You fail to remember that somewhere a child has found a stick and declared it to be exactly the thing it is not:

Sword. Magic Wand. Tiny cane for a squirrel.

Over the last 5 months I’ve been in a different country or state nearly every week. I’m beginning to become approximately 19% suitcase, but it has also been an incredible gift seeing the world, growing as a storyteller, and discovering just how little I know.

Many of the conversations have centered on joy. (You can read more about the Global Joy Project here) Children have shared with me images of what joy looks like to them. Paintings, elaborate marker portraits, sketches, and more.

I have a very important tiny drawing I need to share with you, Enthusiasts, today.

Recently, Roxy, age 5, in Malaysia handed me a mysterious symbol.

What is it? What could it mean? How is this joy?

I stared at it desperately trying to figure it out.

I had to give in and ask the artist, herself.

Roxy’s reponse? Breathing.

Which brings me to perhaps the biggest sign you have been very busy: You forget about breathing.

Maybe not literally. I mean, we still do it, regardless, but we’re missing out when we forget to acknowledge what a strange, magical thing these roughly 20,000 breaths we each take every day actually are.

It’s one of the very few things our bodies do automatically that we can also sort of consciously take over. It’s like being handed the steering wheel for a moment. Our hearts beat without asking. Our livers just do liver things. Our breath, though, says… “Wanna join in?”

I have taken millions of breaths and can remember almost none of them. Easy to overlook, take for granted, or not do the work of figuring out how to draw one so you can remind other people how great breathing is. Thankfully… Roxy, age 5, in Malaysia had the wisdom to draw it and remind us.

What brings her joy? Breathing. Me too, kid. Me too.

In honor of Roxy, age 5, in Malaysia, can you do me a favor?

Take a deep breath right now.

Enjoy it.

Thich Nhat Hanh said: “Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile.”

Let this be the beginning of many other grand things you might’ve been otherwise too busy to notice.

To all the weird little wonders…

… cool rocks…

… lopsided smiles…

…. the bird outside walking like it forgot something.

See it all.

Notice it all.

Breathe it in.

THE FABULIST! I co-wrote a play and it’s headed to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Read about it here. Get tickets here. Also… let me know if you’ll be there!
ZIP and the TINY SPROUTS! Very cute and huggable plush toys of the characters I created are now available. So excited for mine to arrive soon. I’m very proud of this little show. See them here.
SHARE! Thank you for sharing my work and inviting other people into this community. Grateful. May the best be yet to come.