Here I am, lying on my comfy couch, staring out the front windows at the trees, sunlight, crows swooping up and down amidst the dandelions - Chatham County, NC doing what it does best, bursting with nature (and, of course, lots of pollen.) Incredibly restful. I just sold my house and am exhausted from the long drawn-out process. Gimme a break. Restful feels very appealing. And all the while, in the back of my mind, I hear that little, teeny voice, whispering “Shouldn’t you be doing something useful?”
Especially after one has gone through a move, one needs a rest. We forget that moving, perhaps downsizing but at any extent, moving is on the list of the most stressful of life's activities. Especially in this country, we don't encourage rest. That voice of yours is the culture, or Janet Jackson - "What have you done lately?" I wrote a poem in high school asking if I put the whip down, what will keep me going? It is hard to listen to the voice giving oneself permission to "rest" and recuperate in whatever way we see fit. Yes, there will be time to help others, to do again for others, but how incredibly freeing and therapeutic if one values one's own authentic needs in the moment. How rare, and how important. Set the example. Numerous books have come out on this in recent years. You are not alone in recognizing the importance of it, and the difficult process of letting go of ours and others expectations of us.
Especially after one has gone through a move, one needs a rest. We forget that moving, perhaps downsizing but at any extent, moving is on the list of the most stressful of life's activities. Especially in this country, we don't encourage rest. That voice of yours is the culture, or Janet Jackson - "What have you done lately?" I wrote a poem in high school asking if I put the whip down, what will keep me going? It is hard to listen to the voice giving oneself permission to "rest" and recuperate in whatever way we see fit. Yes, there will be time to help others, to do again for others, but how incredibly freeing and therapeutic if one values one's own authentic needs in the moment. How rare, and how important. Set the example. Numerous books have come out on this in recent years. You are not alone in recognizing the importance of it, and the difficult process of letting go of ours and others expectations of us.
You always ieave me with something to think about. love. Shirley