Saturday, October 15, 2011

Do nothing day is do everything day.

Many times have I had this conversation in my house. "I want just one day - of nothing. Not on a cruise ship, but in my own home for a cost nothing day in the house we pay a mortgage on yet rarely enjoy. Can we arrange this?" I ask. "Ok, after we run these 15 errands, maybe." is the standard response.

I negotiate down to five errands that can be attached to priorities and by that point the relax and enjoy mood is shot so upon their completion we make up 10 other tasks that weren't even on the original list and do those instead. Sometimes the original five still don't get done.

Every now and then there is an unaccounted for afternoon and a sense of panic sets in "We didn't load up a bunch of stuff to do so now what?" The thought of doing nothing doesn't cross our minds as a viable option and when we are completely lost we ask the children to approve the proposed schedule. Do you want bread sticks or new tights for dance class?

I think of friends and family that recognize one day a week in a specific way for their religious practices but that often involves a strict timely regimen and proper dress. My definition of a nothing day is really not to think hard about something else, it is intended to truly be a day about nothing. I think we need an eighth day of the week.

Then just as I despair over thinking that sitting still has become a lost art I realize that we do have several extended family events each year where the men sit in a room watching sports and the women gather to gossip. This is a western form of naval gazing meditation, which if it were considered an activity would defeat the purpose. I am just not sure this is the best we can do to rest.

Perhaps the only way to have a day off is to embrace what each day already is. But I sill seek that elusive one absolute nothing day. Maybe next time I get the flu I will have one.