Today was an absolutely marvelous day... for someone who lives free from guilt. Imagine: Breakfast with two lovely friends followed by a spur of the moment manicure and pedicure (unhurried and relaxed), shopping at a stand-alone shop much like Marshall's (OK - it was Stein Mart - where the merchandise is not quite as discounted- but there was a red dot sale) then home to an empty house. I then put on the fire, set up the portable TV and popped in a video. I sat in front of the fire, as the snow fell outside the windows, and watched a Denzel Washington thriller. Oh, and I made myself some hot chocolate with Ghiardelli chocolate. When the movie was over, I pulled my newly purchased sweater closer and promptly fell asleep for 20 minutes. A day in heaven? You bet! But, my feeling of guilt was so great that when I awoke I quickly jumped into action and cleaned the kitchen. What a giant waste of time indulging myself!When I was growing up, the majority of my childhood was spent on a farm. That is where my father taught us the mantra "when you wake up, get up - when you get up, do something." I'm plagued by those words. I have an incredibly difficult time enjoying doing nothing (which is what today equated to). It was easy to live by those words when the kids were little - there was precious little time for sleep, let alone relaxation. But, now I have "spare time" - a rare and beautiful and cursed thing.
Like a lot of women, I married a man who is much like my father. Bill does not waste time. Even when he's watching TV, he's reading or playing his guitar. Last night he played a gig in Ellicotville, drove home after midnight, woke up around 8 a.m., worked out with his trainer and went to work for 6 hours.... It's Saturday! This is how he spends his Saturdays. Some Sundays, too. Bill would never spend a day like the way I spent it today (especially the mani/pedi).
Comparing myself to others I know, I think I get a lot accomplished in a day. But, I am positively slothful when I compare my output to Bill's. We talk about the difference in our 'energy levels' and when I tell him how inadequate I feel, Bill always says: "Liz, it's ME who isn't normal". I'm crazy."
Maybe he is. But, if he is... we need a lot more crazies in this world to get shit done.
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
ReplyDeleteIt is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do. There is no fun in doing nothing when you have nothing to do. Wasting time is merely an occupation then, and a most exhausting one. Idleness, like kisses, to be sweet must be stolen. -Jerome K. Jerome, humorist and playwright (1859-1927)