Low Pressure

Dear Ones,

My AC could not have picked a better time to die. The temperature dropped this week into the 60's. So my windows are opened and I'm in a sweatshirt and long pants and couldn't be happier. Class has been going for about a month now and I'm still checking every night to find out what classes I have the next day. I feel like everyday I come to class, see someone working on something and I have to ask what assignment is that? and when did they tell us we had to do that? Some days the pressure and stress of it all can seem a little overwhelming.

Last weekend I had the chance put off some of that pressure and play with my mom who came in town. It was fun to show her around and introduce her to my friends out here. I put away all school work and we just played: seeing the sites, eating good food, watching BYU and FSU (Good start boys keep it up!). I kept her air mattress inflated in my room all week after she left hoping she would come back. I'm already planning for when my dad comes out for fall break in several weeks.

Pressure was back on after she left with our first written test of the semester. The test was on Diagnosis and Management of Cardiopulmonary Conditions. I really like this class and think I did well enough to pass. My other classes are keeping me twisted up and I'm still not fully organized. We'll find out how much that will come back to haunt me as we have two more tests this upcoming week.

A lesson in low tire pressure: While driving yesterday a low pressure light came on in my car. Arriving at a gas station I got out and with my highly untrained eyes inspected my tires. They didn't look low. I added air to the front two tires but my car still complained so I didn't bother with the back two. Today I drove that same car to church with the same warning light. I asked a couple friends in my congregation to take a look and see what they thought. According to the tire gauge the back two tires were much lower than the others. In an earlier time a driver would have no reason to check their tire pressure until there were physical signs but thanks to modern technology I was warned way in advance of any real trouble. Sometimes in my life I don't realize how off balance I am or how slowly I am losing air. To me, a low pressure life seems like a good thing but what I learned with my low pressure tires is that this low pressure leads to extra wear and tear, decreases steering precision, reductions in fuel economy and failures in tire integrity (you can make the parallel to life consequences). So I grateful for the pressures in  my life despite the craziness that comes with them and I'm even more grateful for the pressure gauges like church, friends, and family who serve as my warning lights well before failure.

Life is sweet here so bring on the pressures of another week!