Even though I’m retired (or is it because I’m retired?), I’m a very busy person. I have weekly and sometimes twice weekly quilt group meetings, Bell Choir practice every Tuesday, Choir practice every Wednesday, church every Sunday, various doctor and dentist appointments, lunch with friends, sewing almost every day . . . . . whew!!!

I’m exhausted just thinking about it! And then you throw in an occasional night out for dinner and a movie, a weekend camping and a day spent with grandchildren and I’m near a total comatose state!

I live in a constant state of fatigue and a feeling of always being behind. Couldn’t I just once wake up feeling refreshed and rested, instead of feeling like I just that minute laid my head on the pillow?

So much to do, so little time. Busy, busy, busy. It’s the same for all of us, I’m sure.

We live by our own self-imposed schedules, thinking that staying on task 24/7 is a good thing. We think a calendar with every day completely filled in is the ultimate goal. We think time spent not producing is time wasted.

I have one word in response to all this . . . . . . .RELAX!!!!!!!!

Sounds simple but harder to do. Being a “doer” is a full time job, for sure. But are not meant to be human doers. We are meant to be human beings. All we are asked to do is . . . . . BE.

“Being” does not mean we have to produce anything, finish anything, start anything or plan anything. It is a calm state of relating to the world in a quiet way. It is taking time to see and hear and feel your surroundings. It is allowing yourself and the word to touch gently and lovingly.

Learning to be a human “being” takes time and effort. It takes practice and repitition. It may take, dare I say It, scheduling on the calendar.

Being able to relax periodically keeps us balanced. The goal of life is not the number of things we can get done in a day or the number of things we can produce or the number of meetings we can attend or the number of miles we can put on the car. The goal is a fine equilibrium, a true balance of activity and calm.

We all need those important pauses between the busyness. We need the calm moments to balance the hectic ones. We need to stop and experience what we are missing in our hurriedness. We need to relax so that we have the energy to do.

Now to take my own good advice . . . . . stop . . . . . relax . . . . . rest . . . . . . slowdown . . . . . . absorb my surroundings . . . . . . til next time, my sweeties