Reflections from The Chill Zone

 

Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012 – Reflections from The Chill Zone

It’s amazing how lowering expectations can contribute to a sense of contentment.  Today, by 10 am, I’d (1) kept my breakfast down; (2) done one load of laundry; and (3) taken a slow walk to the post office and back.  All in all, I’m satisfied that these “accomplishments” are enough for one day.  The rest of the day is mine to spend cultivating leisure, which isn’t as easy as it sounds.  I’ve become so habituated to constant activity that it has become an addiction, and I tend to measure each day in terms of productivity.  

When this recent illness forced me to step back from the daily maelstrom, I started to glimpse quiet, still moments like beckoning ponds of refreshing water.  Of course, one glance at the Washington Post’s Weekend section on Friday morning and I was already making up lists of activities for Saturday and Sunday.  As usual, there was a virtual smorgasbord of exciting possibilities:  gallery openings, museum exhibits, films, farmers markets, arts festivals, to name just a few.  And maybe we could squeeze in the late night Selichot service at our temple (a prelude to the High Holy Days), a few more chapters of editing Joel’s book, and a visit to my mother.  Then I realized how tired Elliott and I both are, and how I still feel like an elephant kicked me in the stomach.  Maybe a low-key weekend at home, with no plans, is more what we need. 

I’m starting to understand the attraction that small towns hold for some people.  I’ve always loved cities, with their amazing cultural offerings, but the barrage of stimulation leaves me exhausted.  Perhaps in a place where there’s less going on, I’d find it easier to live a more balanced life.  Just a thought.