Saturday, August 29, 2009

relax? there's work to be done

The other day I took a  much needed break and went outside with a book.  I love my swing. 

The problem is once I am out there a short while I begin to notice the abundance of  weeds that could use my attention.

 I do love to play in the dirt.  I find it satisfying when I have a mound of weeds to gather up, but there are times I just want to swing.   Yet it is hard for me to relax when there is work to be done.  I have found that I am spending less and less time swinging. 

When I was a kid growing up I watched my mom come home from work and then proceed to work around the house until going to bed.   I attribute my love for eating out to the fact that when mom, dad, and I would go out to eat there was no work that needed to be done.  It was down time.  Otherwise, at home, when all the work was done then and only then would she sit down. 

I was determined to not do that to my children. It wasn’t easy though.  The condition of my house would stress me out more than it should have.  Yet I would be sure to schedule in bike rides, going to the park, playing games, doing things together.  They had my attention.   

Since the boys graduated I have noticed a change.  I seem to have morphed into my mother.  I can’t remember the last time I rode my bike.  (I happen to love to bike ride).   Curt helps around the house or I would really have a problem. 

It seems that my to do list is always screaming for my attention.  Learning to be able to ignore things must be an art that I have not mastered.   Truth is there is always work that can be done but that doesn’t mean it must be done right now. I say that but my upbringing wins out almost everytime.

Maybe I should move the gloves?  I noticed after I took the picture that my yard gloves are right in my line of vision when I sit on the swing.

Now some people may need to have reminders right in front of them.  For some it is too easy to ignore things that should be done.  That is not the area that I struggle in.

Taking some down time each day is my goal.  Learning to be able to be in my house and stop working is harder than it sounds.  This may be why on our day off you won’t find us at home. 

til next time

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