Monday, October 13, 2014

Decompressing











Although I know too much indigenous history to feel celebratory about Columbus day, I will admit that this was a much-needed long weekend.  I put off any grading until today, and focused the weekend on: 
  • walks in the morning
  • yoga in the afternoon
  • our first fires of the season
  • cooking and baking at leisure--and of course soup was involved
  • knitting various little projects
  • visiting my mother in Rockport and taking a walk (and pictures!) with my girl
  • listening to a new Dark is Rising book in the car on the trip to and from Rockport 
I even had the computer off for a whole day.  Strange to realize just how often I head there just to "check on something" or fill a few minutes that could otherwise be filled with...well, life.  

Even today, I prioritized a walk and didn't settle down to work til about 9:30.  Then, I set aside work at about 3 p.m. in order to do 45 minutes of yoga, followed by another fire in the fireplace and relaxed cooking, interspersed with knitting.  I think now, post-dinner, it's time for some chai and a book.  

I've probably said this before, but it bears repeating (to myself if no one else): despite my deep dilemma over when and how to "retire" from my job, I need to remember to seek simplicity and live according to my needs and values in the here-and-now.  It would have been so easy to fill more moments with work.  Alternately, it would have been easy to put off that grading this morning in favor of another day off.  But what I needed over the weekend was down time, and what I needed today was to get some momentum so that the grading would stop looming.  

The semester is always too full, and the juggle is always so painful for me, even when it's fulfilling or exciting.  But I must remember to take advantage of these opportunities, when they present themselves, to insert balance and breathing room into my life.

Especially in the fall semester.  I just so much love this time of year.

What's your favorite way to decompress when life gets too hectic?


1 comment:

  1. All of these would make my decompress list. Here it seems that it can get a bit overwhelming at the moment with dust and men, as the building work continues so it's usually just heading down the lane to breath a little more clearly or pop int to my visit lovely new neighbours. I'm hoping for fire, reading and knitting this weekend too. Hope that you reach a nice balance this weekend.
    Happy days.
    debx

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