Sam Keen wrote, “Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.” I like that affirmation! I am just back from three weeks of holidays. I spent much of yesterday sorting and responding to emails. Phew! Today I am picking up the pieces of work laid down three weeks ago and facing into the work that is ahead but I feel ready to do it after a glorious summer break.
People often talk about balance in life and I thought a lot about that over my weeks away. I have come to the conclusion that what is balance for one is not necessarily easing or restoring for another. As the old saying goes, ‘Different strokes for different folks.’ I could easily spend a couple of hours browsing a book store and come out happy. I felt grounded (pun intended) after a morning of pulling weeds in the garden. Nothing feels better to me than a lunch shared with a friend when it is accompanied with stories shared and memories revisited. A cup of coffee with an oatmeal cookie carries such restorative powers I can take on the world.
Balance for me needs to include mental stimulation, some artistic elements, companionship, along with a generous dollop of quiet and even solitude. I love being with people but I am also pretty happy with my own company and find that both are needed for me to feel balanced.
So … here’s how I spent my summer vacation … enjoying two plays, visiting two museums, touring a distillery, visiting with lots of friends and family, reading two books, gardening, strolling through an old pasture, sitting on a dock, riding on a ferry boat, packing my suitcase 7 times, sleeping in 7 different beds, eating in lots of different restaurants, seeing three movies … all in all … it was GREAT!
I feel restored and balanced and I confess … I love lazy!
