the art of leisure

When I was in college, Ohio University had a class called something along the lines of “The Art of Leisure.”  Campus legend had it that when you turned 21 you should sign up for this class because your grade required sitting around drinking wine with the professor.  I have emailed my J-Prof Bob to see if this was actually a real course.

While I was in the hospital, my friend Kim dropped off some movies and one night I watched Eat, Pray, Love for the second time.  I was struck by the author’s time spent in Italy discovering “il bel far niente,” which means, “the beauty of doing nothing,”  and how this is so counterintuitive to any mom’s schedule I have ever seen.

My first opportunity to put into practice was the day I got home from the hospital.  I found the house was exactly in the condition I left it: a mess.  I have a hard time walking by the mess without trying to fix it.  If I’m going to be lying around I sure don’t want to stare at all the stuff that needs to be done.  T calls to make sure I am following the doctor’s orders.  When I tell her I don’t think she understands the state of my house, she tries to assure me by telling me everyone lives this way- except when company is coming.

And then I get more back-up: a divine intervention.  Pastor Thom texts me to make sure I am doing “nada,” the word for nothing in Spanish.  Then he says that I better be doing nothing or he is going to have to come over and preach!  Actually I think it may be good for the family if he came over to preach.

So now I have had a few weeks to rest and settle into the art of doing nothing.  Yes, I am still feeding the family and doing the laundry, but in between I am trying to do something pleasurable for me. Whether it’s talking to a friend, writing or reading a book,  I have to say I’m getting used to it.  

November 15, 2011. Uncategorized.