Like a start gun going off at the end of work each Friday, I’m out the door and cling to the 63 hours I have before I head back to work. I have a lot to do, and I know there won’t be enough time to fit it all in.
In my younger years, I would have said skiing deep powder or a great concert were the best feelings in the word, but the more life passes, the more I’m inclined to say that the best feeling in the world is having an abundance of time on my hands. Big, unfettered swaths of time, blank like an untouched canvas to fill as I please.
I did not covet time during my younger years. Even when I was busy during graduate school, I never thought about lack of time; I always had enough of it and had the stamina to jam it all in. I could go, go, go all day, every day, and the thought of taking down-time never crossed my mind. Rest was not part of my vocabulary.
Today, great concerts still delight, and power days still make me smile but time wins out. Time to fill with skiing and music. Hanging out with family and friends. Reading, gardening, writing, exploring new places. Just as important as pursuing my passions is using my free to time relax, reflect and do nothing. Time to recharge in between activities, time to just be. No rushing around. Not moving non-stop from one thing to the next.
Although I am far from being old and spent, the physical stamina of youth is gone. Mine is a middle-age body that needs physical and mental rest. So, as I strive to balance work and play, I budget time and try hard not to waste it. These concepts never crossed my mind years ago.
The weekend is upon me. I have plans to pursue my passions, tend to my home life, and hopefully squeeze in some down-time. I’m excited for what the weekend holds but I know it will fly by and not feel like enough.
I’m already dreaming of more time.
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