A Do-Nothing (Almost) Day

Today was the first Saturday without a giant to-do list in almost three months. I had plenty to do--I'm proud to say the house is almost clean enough now for a crew of MightyMaids to come in without embarrassing myself. But that's only because I didn't run off in some direction other than here, right here.

I did leave the house once, to run a load of recycling out and to drop off another sizeable bag of Goodwill-bound clothing. But other than that, I stuck to my home base, rooting out dirt from under many overlooked places, releasing two small bags of too-small clothes from my son's closet and drawers, quietly slipping two or three lidless purple lip gloss containers into the trash, braving a look under the kids' beds to see what, or who, might be recovered.

And, I played Salt Creek ad nauseaum, because it's a fun tune.

And sometimes, I actually sat still. I read a book, about three chapters worth, on the emotional development of boys. I also have my son's copy of Eragon waiting in the wings for later, when I can't sleep because the two scoops of chocolate ice cream I just ate have just enough caffeine to create a small stir in my brain when I least need it.

It seems it's gotten hard for even me to stay home and tackle things without coming up with an excuse to leave the house (or spend money). Several times today I was certain I needed to go to the grocery store -- and several times I reminded myself that I had enough groceries to last myself and the children through several weeks of delicious meals during the next Spring in Ohio snowstorm, which is due anyday now.

As a society we are restless, not just the bold and self-destructive constantly moving restlessness riding around through shopping mall parking lots in Hummers, but restless in the sense of unable to be still, really still, and think about our lives without being overcome with a sense of urgency about needing to add something new to them.

It may have been easier for me today because I've been on the go far more than I usually am. The last couple of months, with travel or some outing every weekend and the last week that included a very busy household and a trip for a funeral, heightened my sense of disconnection from my home and my focus. The wrecked condition of the house was starkly apparent last night when I came in after an evening at The Kent Stage....it was bad enough that I forced myself to unload the dishwasher at midnight, just so it would be one less thing to do this morning.

So now things are more at peace. And so am I.

I hope that all the people I care about are finding more peace. Lots of folks are going through inner turmoil, some self-imposed, some the natural outgrowth of real growth, some because life imposes it upon them. Real peace does truly seem elusive sometimes. I find that taking the time for just tending to simple things like chores and clearing spaces of clutter and stopping to do something I enjoy, like play a little music, helps to clear the inner clutter as well. It's quite satisfying to feel less "out of place" in my place and refreshed and happy in my place in life.

Tomorrow holds a little of the same, perhaps playing some music with friends, a little bit of grocery shopping (there are five days of lunch to consider, after all), more reading, more quiet time for me. Whatever your day holds, I hope it brings you to a happier, more satisfied place, too.

Meanwhile enjoy this simple tune I learned today, a standard jam session number called Salt Creek, played here by Bill Monroe. Now that my house is almost clean and there's a little more room maybe all you pickers will stop on over and we can give this one a try.

But first, I think I'll watch a movie ... (gasp!)