When you have a family there is always lots to do. Every part of the day is taken up with caring for them.
Then the ball of string gradually starts to unravel and one by one they drift away and there's only the two of you left.
I've always been the type of person who likes to keep busy, knitting, sewing or even just reading.
I feel quite guilty if I just sit and do nothing but I am trying to learn just how to do that.
The problem is that when you get to a certain age you know that time is of the essence and wasting it just sitting staring into space seems wrong.
Is it wrong though?
I've decided that it isn't and that I must not feel guilty if all I want to do is sit in the garden looking at the plants.
What do you think?
I think at times, we just need to do nothing. And, when we feel like it we can be busy all we want. I'm like you, always doing something. I had to learn after my accident last Sept. to take it easy.
ReplyDeleteI do sit in my craft room a lot doing mosaics and now working with resin. Usually have the TV on when I'm doing it.
Happy weekend.
There are references in the bible to take periods of rest, and to be still. Seems it is worse to be rushing around with no quiet time at all.
ReplyDeleteI did just that this afternoon, sat on the bench and looked at the flowers, they will be gone soon enough so must enjoy them while we can. Don't feel guilty, we all deserve a bit of me time.
ReplyDeleteMy body might be doing nothing, but my brain keeps ticking over. I think quiet time is for reflection. I like to sit outside the back door when the sun is going down.
ReplyDeleteI love silence.When life is so busy silence is precious .I love "pootling" too.Just pottering about doing a bit of this and a bit of that.
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling, seldom do absolutely nothing, but yes, I think it’s a good thing to learn to do.
ReplyDeleteTo quote Wordsworth "What is this life if full of care, we have no time, to stand and stare...." Don't feel guilty, it is a healthy thing to do - just not to excess!
ReplyDeleteSometimes your body insists on you doing nothing. But it is a difficult one. I often forget I have breathing problems and charge off and then I cannot breathe . My walking chariot is the best thing to slow me down! Use it and I can breathe -daft. Remember let this be your mantra - What is life if full of care we have no time to stand and stare. Good one.
ReplyDeleteSome days just sitting and petting the kitties is enough.
ReplyDeleteI think if just sitting and looking at the garden makes you happy than it can't be wrong. Sometimes you need a little quiet down time to sit and think or just relax
ReplyDeleteWhen you've worked all your life, you should be able to do whatever you want with your time. Go with the flow!
ReplyDeleteP. S. Didn't you have your sore tooth looked after today? I'd want to sit and look at something pretty after that, too :)
ReplyDeleteIt is quite a dilemma. Sometimes that's all I really want to do, too. Now that my boys are both far far away, I don't feel like a real mom anymore. It's a strange thing. We spend so many years doing so much that when we are sitting with ourselves, we aren't quite sure what we should be doing. I never imagined I wouldn't still be working, but after 17 years of working at the schools in this country, teaching and then administrative work, I was done. I want to make things for charity but it's hard to find ways of doing that here and the mail system is the pits so can't even send anything out. I'm still figuring things out and sometimes that means sitting in contemplation. :) I say enjoy the garden as much as you can.
ReplyDeleteJust be and take time to smell the roses x
ReplyDeleteDoing nothing and just thinking or meditating is becoming increasingly important in this busy world of ours. I think it is why adult colouring is so popular as people can just lose themselves in it. We should never feel guilty for not doing anything and having peaceful moments - it's good for mental health.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Ellie
I rarely sit and do nothing, because if I am not doing something I am reading, tapping on tablet, going from wireless to wireless.. when I retired in 2006 I danced to the car, my job was high stress, and I had done it for years and all those years were taking care of house and home and sons. since the day I retired, I do what I want to do when I want to do it and if I don't want to do it I don't... and I don't feel guilty. when the weather is not so hot, I love to sit in the swing and stare out over the pool at the sky and trees... to hot to do that now though. I say do what makes you happy...… that is why the dust in the nook is enough I can pick it up with fingers. 😉
ReplyDeleteI'm like you Briony, I find it difficult to sit and do what appears to be nothing, hence now as I have finished a crochet blanket I am knitting baby pram blankets, just to keep busy and I am using up yarn. I shall give them to a charity shop, hope they will suit someone.. anyway day dreaming looking at the garden is good for the soul!
ReplyDeleteNo one should feel guilty about idling away chunks of time. Just having time to think and to let one's mind simply wander is good for the soul... though of course one wouldn't want to spend all of one's waking time like that.
ReplyDeleteI explain my staring off into space, as recharging my old batteries. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. ;)
ReplyDeleteWhen my body tells me to rest & I ignore it after a while I can start tripping and bumping into walls & stagger so I flop onto the sofa & stay there sometimes for 3 hours or more x
ReplyDeleteIt's absolutely fine! My dad used to sit and ponder things -- he called it "cycling his mind."
ReplyDelete