Yesterday, I was on retreat. Since I’m embracing a Serenity April, it only seemed right that I would spend the first Saturday in full respite mode. And that’s what I did. I stayed in my pajamas and retreated from the world for 24-hours…actually more like 36-hours.
I had dinner with KLW and Bilger Friday night. It was a ‘senior dinner,’ a term to describe an early supper. We ate at 6. I was home by 8. I put on my pajamas and hit the figurative ‘snooze button’ on my rather scheduled life.
I’ve already noticed that slowing down makes me tired. I’ve slept 7-9 hours each night this past week. My norm hovers at 6-7. I wonder if the extra sleep is just my body’s initial reaction to my conscious effort to relax. And I have been chill-axing. My afterwork activities were minimal. I only saw one play this week. On 3 nights, I was asleep by 9. It doesn’t take me long to unwind after crossing my threshold. My place is just conducive to leisure. There is a certain calm in living alone. It’s uncomplicated. Everything is in the place that you left it. There is quiet. And that solitude lulls me into slumber.
Even though I may fall asleep easily, I don’t always stay asleep. Sometimes, I wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning ready to start my day. My retreat day was like that. I believe my body was fighting the idea of resting for the day. My life practice is to be in harmony with mind-body-spirit. So, I like to listen to the natural rhythms of my body. If it wants to wake up, I don’t lay there coaxing it to return to sleep. I get up. Sometimes reading awhile or watching a TV show pacifies it. I return to sleep after a brief interval. And other times, I’m up for the day. Once I make the determination that my day has started, I go into my morning coffee ritual.
Yesterday, I was productive in not being productive which was my objective. So, in a way, goal completed. I didn’t write. I didn’t call, text or email anyone. I randomly conducted my day. I binge-watched the rest of “Drop Dead Diva” season 5 on Netflix. I did my laundry, my sun salutations and finished my book “Life After Life.” I watched “Frozen” and “Saving Mr. Banks.” I soaked in a lavender-scented bath.
Because I did a lot of nothing all day, I fell asleep early and woke up early. The thing I do love about getting up when it’s still dark is watching the day start. Sunrise marks a natural ‘do over.‘ The anticipation of all the possibilities is illustrated perfectly in a beautiful sunrise. What will my day bring once I get out of these pajamas?
Let it go, let it go
I’ll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go, let it go