I need a refresher of parenting 101

I am sitting in the doctor's office as a walk-in-patient.   I have been here for two hours and will most likely be here for at least one more.  As usual my mind races to my mental list of daily to-dos, but I wait patiently knowing that my body will not cooperate today.  It is also an early release day for "S", but I have already provided back up in case I cannot pick her up.  On any other day and like all parents, I am in constant motion, a bounce around to the store for the must have milk for cereal, to the quick pick up of scattered items, a toss of clothes to the washer, a blend of ingredients for meals, a swipe of cloth around the kitchen, phone calls, emails, respond to the helpline of an 8 year old, and the beat goes on and on.  But today is different, I am imprisoned in a 40 foot by 25 foot room with coughs, groans, sniffles, a few snores and complaints muffled by elevator music in the background.  I have glanced at the clock every few moments to be reminded that only six or so minutes have passed.  If the pain in my lower back was not increasing with every shift in my chair, I would walk out the door and into my daily chaos.   So I drift to the thoughts within my cranial to occupy the time.  They traverse from one issue, to individuals to situations to concerns like a ping pong ball out of control, but share a common thread and that can be summed up with one word-CHALLENGE.  It might be my age or the fact that my back is rebelling, but everything seems to be getting more difficult.  "S" is growing older and issues become more complex with every breath.  We are both bobbing and weaving through friendships, interests and schedules.  I am trying to guide, but feel like I am taking wrong turns at every crossroad and need to keep asking for directions when I see we are off the beaten path once more.  I look to tomorrow and wonder if I will ever get my act together physically, intellectually and emotionally with a dose of common sense to point her toward good choices and valuable outcomes.  Suddenly I hear my name and this mesh of questions is  blocked by the view of the nurse beckoning me to an empty room.  Time to face the reality of today and leave tomorrow for another day......