What To Do With a Beautiful Day?
| September 28, 2011 | Posted by Jenny Ann Fraser under Feast..., One Sweet World |
The last days of summer are always something to be cherished. I’m not sure I could find many who would disagree with that or, maybe I would.
In this day and age, as I have mentioned before, it seems to have become socially uncacceptable not to be ridiculously busy. And life is really busy.
I am often told by others that I have it easy because I don’t have the responsibility of a family to look after… I suspect that such comments would not be made by those who truly appreciate their families, but that is a topic for another post.
Being alone however does offer opportunity, but opportunity is only available to you when you are aware that it exists. Here is an example.
The view from my new office.
Instead of spending the day in my lovely home, working on my blog, I moved my office. It was too nice to stay indoors.
It took me five minutes to pack up my netbook, my nokia rocket-stick (for portable internet) a fold-up chair, some cookies and my water bottle. It took me 5 minutes to walk to my new workspace, and then I sat all alone except for the deer, birds, and a few ducks, working away. (For the record, the Ducks are less than pleased with my presence, but clearly the deer don’t care.)
If I stay long enough, I’m certain that the raccoons will join me too.
No one else has decided to move their office for the afternoon. I certainly wouldn’t mind if someone brought their kids out to enjoy all of this nature, but I doubt it will happen. I have to say that I don’t understand why.
I say this not to judge, but I find it rather sad, that throughout history and continuing on today, we tend to see a beautiful wooded area as something to chop down, to build on, to improve for our own benefit. And yet I see no benefit to not having this space to appreciate. As it is.
The area that I am working in right now, has spent much of this year under snow, and then water. It was flooded for so long, that no grass grew this year. The ground is a blanket of dirt, twiggs and fallen leaves, and trees that uprooted themselves, unable to hold their own weight in saturated ground. It is a heavenly carpet. If it weren’t for the low level of this place making it prone flooding, it would be a housing development I’m sure.
I have recently become aware that there is a movement under-way, designed to get kids out into nature. Of course I whole-heartedly support this. I believe that if more of us grew to love this Earth in it’s natural state, we would do more to protect it.
What is heart-breaking however, is that part of this movement is to teach adult teachers, how to teach their students, as they too have been nature deprived and don’t otherwise know where to begin. When did we become so lost?
When did we become so busy, and what exactly are we busy doing and is what we’re doing more important than fresh air, exercise, finding peace or protecting the planet?
I often consider the fact that much of what others are buysy doing is taking care of what they have aquired, and in this I can be grateful for my low-income, childlessness as maybe had things been different I would not be in this place right now.
A large house is a lot more difficult to maintain than my tiny apartment. Cars can save you time travelling, but require a lot of care too. They don’t allow for bike rides to work and the ability to capture moments like this one.
While I am also busy with my 40+ hr per week job, being the caretaker of my tiny block, writing a blog, and a few other projects that I have on the go, I am also busy feeding my body and soul with long evening walks and moments spent taking pictures of my world. Whenever considering a new idea or project plan, I will not take on anything that will take me away from this world and what it brings me.
In every season, in almost all weather it is part of my job to find inspiration in the natural world. I get my exercise by letting my feet take e where I need to go instead of being inside a gym. I don’t get into my car to drive outside of the city limits to enjoy nature and then wish I could do it more often, I drink in my surroundings wherever I am. I take my circumstances as they are handed to me and I run with what I have, reminding myself to be grateful along the way.
I don’t write about this to say ” everyone should be like me. I know how to live life and everyone else is doing it wrong. That is not my style at all. I simply love having the opportunity to share what I have and possibility that I might inspire someone else to say, ” what could I do with what I have, and where I am so that I could bring some of this into my own life, and the lives of those I love?”
I could not truly enjoy this if I didn’t share it now could I?
this post reminds me of a story written by one of my favorite authors…Robert Fulghum. @ this point in his life, he was too busy, even though he was taking regular walks, he was always in a hurry. He would regularly see another lady on his walks, she seemed to have a similar routine..although hers was @ a much slower pace. One day they bump into each other @ the coffee shop. she tells him, that unbeknownst to him, he had inspired her..(not to be like him) he always seemed to be in too much of a hurry….anyway, I like the pace of your days. sounds like you are intentionally building “margin” into your routine. do you have any coffee shop stops as part of your routine, or do you bring your own?…or maybe you don’t like coffee? later- DM
Hi Doug!
I am also a Robert Fulghum fan. I don’t think I heard that story though. It is a good one.
I often find myself trapped between thinking that I should be focusing on “getting stuff done” when I would rather play outside. However, I remind myself, that probably 75% of my writing happens when I’m out “playing”.
I notice in my job that being in a position where I have to be working every moment, (ie: fingers on the keyboard) that there is no time left for thinking. When I have a problem to solve, I have to do it on my own time. It is incredibly inefficient. I suspect that we are too married to the idea that we have to produce something tangible to be considered productive.
It scares me a bit to think what I would write about and how I would think if it weren’t for my long hours spent walking.
I do love coffee, but generally only in the morning. My water bottle suits me fine during the day!
Great to “see” you!