As summer is coming to an end and fall is just around the corner, now is the time of year when everybody, it seems, gets very, very busy.

We at The Countywide have a lot of special projects that happen in August and September and it seems that each year we keep doing what we’ve always done, but then we also keep adding things to our "to do" list.

This adding and adding and adding really adds up after a while and when you are up against limited time and limited resources, this can all add up to a lot of stress.

It reached a boiling point last week when I got that awful sick feeling in the pit of my stomach – that "I’m not going to be able to get it all done" feeling of impending doom.

As my wife often points out, things that were easier to fit into our schedule before we had three small children, suddenly are a lot harder to accomplish.

Both of us have been pretty stressed out lately, trying to get everything done within the limitations of what we are capable of doing.

We are human, after all, imperfect and more and more inclined to forget things as we get older.

The strangest thing happened, however, just when I was close to reaching that boiling point of utter and complete meltdown, panic and anxiety.

Suddenly, I was overcome with the oddest sense of peace and serenity.

It was as if all the stress and worry and anguish just suddenly evaporated into thin air.

Perhaps it was God reaching down, as He so often does, granting me relief from my stress, anxiety and worries.

Or, perhaps, I just suddenly realized that everything is going to be okay, even if it doesn’t go absolutely perfectly.

It’s often easy for me to forget those six words when I am in a battle with stress – everything is going to be okay.

I find that sometimes, it can be calming just to close my eyes and repeat those words a few times to myself – everything’s going to be okay, everything’s going to be okay, everything’s going to be okay.

I bet a lot of folks are stressed out right now as they get involved in all sorts of different activities that go along with the beginning of another new, improved, school year – with even more stuff to deal with than we all had to deal with last year.

One of my faults is my lack of patience. I get impatient with people sometimes, but when I’m struggling, it’s the kindness and patience of others that gives me the most comfort.

I think the thing to remember is to remain calm – everything is going to be okay. Just show a little patience with yourself, your family, your friends and even total strangers. Not only will it relieve their stress, but yours, as well.