Monday, June 10, 2013

And on the 7th Day, She rested.


Being OUT in the world
Going here
Going there
ENJOYing life
With old friends
And with new friends
Discovering
Laughing
Talking
Laughing some more
Hugging
Dancing
Loving
Fills us with excitement
And wipes us out
As even FUN takes energy.

I headed to my houseboat for an overnight get-a-way, leaving Nashville early yesterday (Sunday) morning with the city finally sleeping after a crazy, fun-filled week with the CMAfest activities.  All I could think about with my body, mind and spirit threatening to go on strike if I didn’t allow some downtime was: On the 7th day, she rested.    

It feels so damn good to be OUT in the world again and to be filled with excitement, going here, going there, enjoying life with old friends and new friends, discovering, laughing, talking, laughing some more, hugging, dancing, loving…But even fun takes energy and the series of late nights, crowds and jam-packed days has wiped me out.

As I loaded my wheel barrel full of essentials and walked the half-mile stretch of dock to my houseboat, people were commenting:  We’re all heading out and you are heading in…You missed the weekend fun in the sun… and the rain is coming.  I nodded politely in agreement, smiling and pretending to be disappointed, wishing them safe travels home.  But what I was really thinking was: Woohoo…Bring on the rain!  Oh good, everybody is gone so I can hibernate and rejuvenate.

I no sooner got inside the houseboat when the rain poured and the wind stirred with such a force that the lake was white-capping and the boat was rocking from side to side, giving me permission to chill, lay on the sofa with a blanket and simply do nothing.  The rain didn’t let up for a couple of hours and continued to sprinkle most of the afternoon before it settled in for the night.  Ahhhh…it held me in a deep rest and I am so grateful.

Pushing our Self past our limits whether it is a week of insane fun or weeks of over- scheduling that would leave the Energizer Bunny screaming for mercy can grind away at us physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally.  Rest is necessary to our well-being so we must give our Self permission to take a time out from the demands of life whether we label them good or bad, business or pleasure.  I have come to recognize:  We blossom in the white spaces on our calendar as rest, pausing, stepping back heals the fraying and fragmenting caused by the constant doing our culture identifies as necessary.

The invitation this day is to jump off the treadmill of life and rest even for one evening.  Just say No to everybody but you.  Stop the madness.  Turn off your phone or at least set it on vibrate.  Go off-line taking a web-surfing break.  Let your partner take care of the kids, the pets, dinner and all that your evenings are usually filled with (and offer to do the same for them the following week).   Delight in the rest!  I sure did.  Bring on this new day as I now have the energy for it.

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