At the lake, perfecting the art of relaxation.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“Just some work I thought I’d bring along.”
“When are you going to do that?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Here and there, maybe.”
He scowled.
“Why don’t you take a few days off and just enjoy the weekend?”
WHAT!?! But I had a million work-related things to do! How could I take four days off? No way! I’d work in the car. I’d work when everyone else was sleeping. I’d work—
“Trust me. You’ll be fine,” he said.
I wasn’t so sure. As a mom, wife, daughter, business person—I always feel like I should be doing something because, well, there’s always something to do. I couldn’t remember the last time I just sat…and did…nothing.
Still, I packed my bags. All of them. Work included. And away we went.
The weather was beautiful. We went to the beach. We played by the lake. A couple days went by and my work bag went unzipped.
Then, an opportunity arose. My daughter took a nap. Our other friends went off for a walk. My husband went to tinker on a boat. I sat on the deck, alone. My work bag loomed in the other room. As I looked at the lake, I thought about taking it out, getting out paper and pen and getting to work.
A boat whizzed by on the water. A seagull hollered. The leaves in the trees blew back and forth. Kids’ laughter echoed off the rocks somewhere down shore.
I decided it was time. I went in the house, walked right past my responsibilities and picked up…a cocktail.
I spent the next forty minutes doing…absolutely nothing. I absolutely loved it. And needed it.
This past weekend, I realized that I don’t always have to be doing something. We all need time to unwind. To relax and just be. Sometimes work—whether it’s paperwork or a household chore—can wait. Especially in the summer, on lazy sunny days when the hubby’s off of work and there’s no school to rush to.
The great thing is that I learned this lesson on Memorial Day weekend. Which means, I have a whole summer full of lazy days, just waiting for me to enjoy.
May you enjoy it too!
