July 26th - Love Of Life

Start Quote

In the beginning spending regular time alone 
just to collect your thoughts 
will seem like indulgence enough. 

Spending time alone to nurture your authentic vision, 
to express yourself creatively, 
to enjoy a personal pursuit that 
brings you contentment and pleasure 
will seem - well, impossible.

Incredulous. 

Impractical.

Inconceivable.

Out of the question. 

 

"Right. In another life,"

is the usual response, 

along with audible sighs and the rolling of eyes...

Then wistful looks appear.

"You mean to have fun?"...

"Yes. Have fun."

"You mean, by myself?"

"Yes, by yourself. 

Fun.

What would you like to do if you ever had the time?"

"Fun?"

[Yes fun.

By yourself.]

You can see where this leads. 

Most women I meet have a hard time

 holding up their end of the conversation 

when fun is the topic. 

Let the discourse be on diaper rash 

or Einstein's Theory of Relativity 

and we can hold our own.

But fun for its own sake?

The plain truth is that somewhere between 

family and careers during the last twenty years, 

most of us have misplaced an essential part of ourselves. 

Once we begin embarking on solitary sojourns 

to get reacquainted with our authentic selves, 

we usually discover that something is missing. 

It's called zest.

Exuberance.

Joi de vivre, as the French would say, 

or "the love of life."

The great delight that comes 

when the pieces of our particular puzzle finally fit. 

The heartfelt happiness we derive 

when something brings us keen pleasure. 

Something uniquely our own. 

They used to call this magical something a hobby.

But what to do?

End Quote

Play.

Use your imagination. 

Idle, putter, dawdle, 

figure it out. 

Try something, 

then try something else. 

Try to have fun by yourself, 

whatever it is you're doing.

***

Gratitude Journal

***

1) Bed time.

2) Mothers helpers. 

3) Leftover mexican food.

4) Getting laundry done.

5) A day to rest.