Back in the days when my priorities were somewhat skewed, writing was on the bottom of my list of the ten most important things I needed to accomplish every day. Ahead of writing…dreaming up characters, fabricating dialogue, and searching for just the right word…were:
--caring for my patients
--getting the kids
out of bed, dressed, fed, and off to school
--keeping the house
in reasonable order
--getting meals on
the table
--staying ahead of
the laundry
--managing the yardwork
--running to the
bank, grocery store, post-office, dry cleaner, etc., etc.
--preventing dirty
dishes from accumulating in the sink
--getting a little
exercise
--staying in touch with family and friends
...all of which are honorable and necessary expressions of a civilized life, but really? How much can one person do in one day? And notice that embellishments such as enjoying a manicure or massage, meeting with friends over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, and slowing down long enough for an afternoon nap are nowhere on the list, a sure sign that something needs to change.
Now I know better. I have learned
that many of the little self-imposed tasks and obligations that we stake our
lives on can be organized and dispatched in a heartbeat. I know now that before
we tend to them, we must first of all write…or paint or compose or sing or
dance…in order to sustain momentum, to nourish and energize ourselves, to
satisfy and fulfill our longings. In other words, to be creative and connected
and happy. And instead of barreling through the day at warp speed in order to
earn ourselves a few free minutes to write before we collapse into bed at night,
we must learn to celebrate the virtues of idleness, day-dreaming, playfulness, solitude,
silence, and rest. As the mind wanders, so does the imagination. And out of the
imagination, who knows what might emerge?
"Let's start by take
a smallish nap or two."
~Winnie the Pooh~
Have you had your nap today?
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