I’ve been working too hard. This past month, I’ve been juggling three projects, getting my daughter settled into her routine at school and trying to adjust to the shifting realities of my mother’s deteriorating mental state. It’s meant there’s less time to blog, no time to stare into space and do nothing, and even when I did try to relax and read a book, the worries of my work wouldn’t step back and give me a break. One thing that brings me back to myself, no matter how busy I get is that there are two horses in the barn who need my attention every morning and every night.
Yesterday, everything paused and I was able to go through my day with an astonishing sense of leisure. Don’t ask me why. Maybe the planets and my schedules just aligned for a brief bit of breathing room. At first, as I turned out the horses, taking time to let each of them graze on the last bits of soft green grass between the barn and the pasture, I felt like I was forgetting to do something. Then, as I mucked Silk’s stall, I realized that I was actually giving my full attention to what I was doing. My mind wasn’t racing around trying to solve problems for several projects and family dramas at the same time. It was like falling free form in space. At first, I was on edge and jumpy, but then I found a gentle floating feeling and relaxed.
I stopped to watch the horses for about five minutes. I gathered up some firewood since it’s gotten cold at night. This morning, there’s nowhere to go and no deadlines to meet. I’m not behind on anything, and it’s a beautiful sunny Saturday. I’m going to groom the horses and fool around and hopefully this afternoon, I can hop on Silk for a while.
Someone called me and asked if we wanted to go to the Big E, a lively state fair in Massachusetts. As much as I enjoy those kind of things, there’s no way anyone is going to get me in a car and on a highway. My idea of the perfect weekend is one that requires as little effort and movement as possible. You’ll find me here --Staying home, hanging with a couple of four-legged girlfriends and chilling out.
7 comments:
I find the horses do that for me too - when I'm too busy, they often make me feel like I have a "center" and I find I relax more when I'm around them.
You certainly sound like you've got a lot on your plate. But the weather is beautiful today and it's always a good idea to just chill with the horses. I find it always grounds me and forces me to relax when I'm with the herd. I actually rode Dusty this morning and although she wasn't exceptionally good it does make you only think about what's going on at the moment and not the thousand and one other things that need to be done. Hope you get a ride in this weekend.
I'm glad the planets have aligned -- at least for a while -- for you.
Enjoy the weekend, and your girls.
Hopefully you can create more days like yesterday and today for yourself!
Funny - the word verification is:
lazinc
which I keep reading as Lazy, Inc. :)
May you find some of that.
You are wise to enjoy these moments; they are few and too far between.
A day like that is a bonus. Who would not love it! Good for you.
With this post you have illustrated perfectly why it is important to have animals in our lives....
Post a Comment