people keep telling me how busy they are and i used to be busy, until i had unemployment thrust upon me but i am not so busy now and i am loving it. for me it is no badge of honour to say i am flat chat, cant find time to scratch myself, run off my feet. when i was doing that i hated it and i am pleased to catch my breath, notice my kids and talk to friends. admittedly i dont like being financially dependent and i miss the social interaction of the workplace but i dont miss being constantly compromised, dont miss manic supermarket trips and crummy meals born of exhaustion both physical and creative.
these days i get the kids off to school, chat a little on facebook, do some chores, then maybe some study or some informal "research" watching birth videos and reading birth/doula articles. after that there are the podiatrist, chiro and dentist visits, the occasional meeting at a school and the endless taxi-ing of teenagers. amongst all of that i might blog a little and i know i mentioned chores but honestly, washing up around here is in a special category, less a chore and more a lifestyle. it's also worthy of note that somebody is always short of knickers or socks or shoes and i'm always chasing that stuff.
now that i have about 30 hours a week to "spare" i feel like i'm actually living rather than running on a wheel. it wont be forever, i have a retirement to save for, teenagers to raise, a leaky shower to be fixed, dreams of travel and professional development and on it goes so busy kylie will have to reappear but next time you are telling someone how busy you are, stop a sec and consider how you might be able to detour to the slow road, not forever, just for a bit. a bit of thinking time never hurt nobody :)
*quote from socrates
What a great attitude you have! You have indeed looked to the better side of your situation and I bet your family is happily so as well.
ReplyDeleteI am one to say I am "busy" a lot, but the fact is that I think I am slower than in my youth and it takes more time and energy to do the things I used to do in minutes... sometimes it takes all day... Just sayin'... *grin*
My problem has always been that I have more time than I "think" I do.
ReplyDeleteBut it's so easy to use "I'm too busy" as an excuse!
I could do so much more with my time, really. I'm just lazy. Although I think the laziness keeps me sane, in many ways.
And here I am going in circles again!
Enjoy your time off Kylie. I'm glad you are able to take a break (of sorts - what mother of four ever takes a break?) and spend some time just...well...living.
Well, as you know, I also have plenty of spare time, having only a part-time job, and like you I love no longer being on a constant hyperactive treadmill trying to do a dozen things at once. We would all be a lot happier if part-time jobs were the norm. We all need time to reflect and imagine and savour.
ReplyDeleteSome days I wonder how I ever found time to go to work. But the things I do these days are soooo much more rewarding.
ReplyDeleteMan it took me almost five years after I was forced to stop working to slow down and adjust my head. Now seven years after that first five. *shrug* as stuff comes up then I will do what needs doing--until then...ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz NAP TIME!
ReplyDeleteYou may be financially disadvantaged but are now enjoying the richness of life ! Lucky you ! Amazing how we manage everything when we work , raise children, maintain a home , and possibly have some sort of social life (just not on the teen level) ha-ha!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your time , it is precious.. Fee xo
hello darlene!
ReplyDeletethanks for the great compliment and the visit, of course!
some things are just better if you take your time, so good for you :)
megan,
i'm pretty sure "laziness" isnt just lazy, more a survival strategy :) and why do i suddenly love emoticons?
nick,
part time work would give everyone more time and less money and somehow i think that would (mostly) be a good thing.
ec,
i do actually wonder how i'll find time to go back to work! the baby business is hardly regular in the hours though and i expect that might be quite nice in a weird way.
walking man,
you are inspirational as always ;)
hi fee,
hope you are good! i keep considering dropping by that joint to say hello but somehow i never quite find time...for some reason
Good post on balance in one's life.
ReplyDeleteBeware the revolving door of "work" to feed the morgage debt, in some ways, to help the banks sell their "product' and that is debt.