Seizing the Moment to Do Nothing

Last weekend I spent an entire day reading a book. (I’m a pretty avid reader, but even by my standards, this was a lot.) Not because I didn’t have anything else to do. Life’s administrative duties were still there, lurking, prodding, waiting in various degrees of perpetual disarray, clamoring to be sorted, cleaned, tended ~ things I’m normally all too willing to oblige with great habit of responsibility and an ever-present urge to be productive. This doesn’t even count the paintings wanting to be painted, the stories to write, music to make, dreams to chase. Toss some work in there, too.

For a good 12 hours, I abandoned all of it, hermitting myself inside the pages of a book.  “Just because.” Phone off, computer off. Very unsociable, actually.

And life went on. It was lovely.

I’m not suggesting that reading resembles a waste of one’s time (au contraire!), but it does involve letting go of more “pressing things”. That said, I’m always a bit envious of people who seem capable of being unproductive with great and natural ease. But it’s never too late, and I’m still learning. Balancing the have-tos and want-tos and need-tos and can-waits. Knowing when to be and when to do, and trusting that it all has a place in this beautiful, chaotic, imperfect dance of life.

saxton_chaosandbeauty

……………………….

Beauty and chaos
Light and shadow
Sun and moon,
The dance of life.

Balancing
on shifting sands
on best intentions
Drinking from the well
of change ~
Ebbing, flowing,
Breathing, being,
Marvelously
Magnificently
Irresistibly
flawed.

~ P. Saxton

openbook

Patricia Saxton

No Comments
  • dyer weed

    March 23, 2014 at 5:38 pm Reply

    Hmm, am I one of those you envy? I think you need more time spent luxuriating in this passtime. It is a most valuable tool to give your ever fruitful mind and Virgo spirit time to unconciously recharge.:-D

    • saxtonstudio

      March 24, 2014 at 10:01 am Reply

      I’ll try to follow your sound advice! You’re so right about recharging. 🙂

  • Dorothy

    March 23, 2014 at 12:27 pm Reply

    you have a way with words my dear and it is cause of all that reading so you just give yourself permission to do that often!!

  • Kathy Molinaro

    March 23, 2014 at 8:21 am Reply

    I love this!

Your thoughts?