I returned to Tallahassee from Chicago at 11pm on Friday night. I slept in until 11am, my cat Edna purring beside me. I woke and I slept and woke and slept.
I can’t remember the last time I let myself rest. December?
Today is Sunday and I am pet-sitting again, although this time it’s paid. I’ll be pet-sitting all week, which will give me money to eat. That’s important.
There are a million things I need to do. I could list them all, but that would be a waste of time. Do I need to do them right now? This week? No.
So, I am resting. I will do what I can do this week. Maybe one thing each day.
If I don’t let myself rest when my body and heart and mind are asking me so politely, without much pain or urgency, then they will ask me with pain and urgency.
I have learned that lesson.
I have deactivated my Facebook and logged off of Instagram and Twitter.
There are a million things I need to do, yet none of them is needed more than rest.
A storm thunders through the backyard and the dogs bark.
In its wake the birds chatter in the dense shaded brush. The feral cats gather along the gravel driveway. A frog chortles from under an open window and the fan above me stirs the humid air until it’s almost cool, almost cold.
My body got left behind and I am gathering my body again, as I have many times.
My body has all my stories and without my body my stories have no flesh or density. No truth.
Birds lift their hollow-boned bodies into the air. They never forget their bodies. Their bodies dip and rise, dip and rise.
The moon is a kind of body, illuminated by the sun’s light.
My body is illuminated; only if I rest. If I don’t rest, my body loses its light; its life.
I offer myself rest, for now. For tomorrow and the day after.
I offer you rest, if you can take a moment, or a day.
Beautiful reflection on why rest is crucial. Thanks for sharing!
This is a relief. I was worried when we didn't hear from you for a while. Rest is extremely important. I take it more seriously now that I am mostly a writer and less doing field forestry. You can easily get to the point where you can't think clearly, and that is not conducive to writing.
Enjoy pet sitting, get lots of sleep but also lots of walks if you feel like it.
One of my professors, when I visited campus six months after I graduated, said I looked different. She paused for a moment and then said "I've never seen you well-rested before." I hope we see you well rested when you are up for another writing session.