It seems I am a slow learner.
I need considerable amounts of downtime.
I need it so that I can find center,
so that I can breathe with my mind, as well as my lungs.
I need it so that I am an easier person to live with.
I need it to live, period.
And one of the gifts of retirement has been
the increased accessibility of such time.
Without the schedule of a regular work week,
it is sometimes easier to sit in the backyard;
to take a field trip to a local nursery;
to sit in the car on the bluffs overlooking the ocean.
But they say ‘pride goeth before a fall,’ right?
Uh-huh.
Or maybe it’s ‘the truth will out…’
‘water finds its own level…’
or some other such hackneyed cliche.
Whichever, whatever –
the downtime has up and disappeared of late.
And I’m feelin’ it.
So… I am very grateful for Michelle’s invitation to
stop and savor,
look and listen,
sit and set a spell.
And I’ll try to find my way here each Friday,
and to Sandy’s place on Saturday,
and over to Deidra’s on Sunday,
just to honor the gift of downtime,
of Sabbath rest,
of soaking in the beauty of this world.
I’ll keep it short, and hopefully sweet –
with a picture or two,
a word or two,
a sigh or two.
Maybe you need a little more breathing room, too?
Come along and slow things down.
Joining with Michelle DeRusha’s invitation to celebrate the slower pace of summer living over at her blog, Graceful.
I was under the mistaken notion that this season of life would be just as you’ve described Diana. It hasn’t proven to be so. The days fill with things I hadn’t planned and the weeks slip by and the things I thought I would have – lots of peaceful, restful time – just isn’t there.
I’m going to join you at those lovely places.
You relaxed me! With your wise words and beautiful photos…i’ve notched down my stress.
I don’t know why but I feel the sun on my back when I see that lily pad just floating there. Reminds me of fishing… 🙂
Well, hey…anything I can do to lower stress in a fellow traveler’s life…glad to help. My own stress level, however…well, it needs a little downtime. :>)
Yeah, the sun was on our backs when I took that photo – so it reminds me of how good that felt every time I look at it. We haven’t been fishing in a long time. Maybe it’s time…
I figured you, of all my friends out here in cyberspace, might get this one! I stand amazed at how little downtime I actually have – unless I get quite intentional about creating it. So…I’m workin’ on that.
Wow, that bird is just incredible – what is it??!!
And thanks to you for giving me the idea to make Graceful Summer a link-up community – blessings multiplied! Glad you joined in today…and wishing you a weekend full of peaceful downtime.
That’s the oriole who visits our yard every spring (or one of his offspring). We wait to hear his strange machine-gun like cry and then wait patiently to see him as he is very, very shy. I got lucky about 3 weeks ago and got this shot.
Summer takes away my downtime, but I enjoy reading about everyone else’s.
Yeah, I know what you mean. I enjoy it – when I’m not feeling just the teensiest bit jealous.