I admit I am addicted to the busyness. I get pleasure out of traveling, giving gifts, and running from one place to the next. When I am not moving or doing something, I don't feel normal. With all the things that put demands on my time, I am an expert at scheduling. My calendar is full with graduate school, band practice, youth ministries, church activities, serving my community, dinners with friends, work, and so much more.
With the recent end of the semester at school, I spent my first day 'free' going about my normal daily activities. I went to work (I nanny a 18 month old) early in the morning after a long night of my final classes the evening before. As I'm sure you can imagine, my morning was full of diapers, feeding the little lady breakfast, playing like crazy and caring for the little life I have in my hands. Though I had not had much rest the night before, I was still determined to use the baby's nap time to start working on the reading I need to knock out during the next semester, which starts in just a few weeks. Nap time is a great time to get school work done. I'm not sure how it happened exactly (humor me for a second and pretend I don't know), but as I lay on the couch at 10:30 in the morning, with my girl cuddling on my chest, suddenly there were two of us fast asleep.
Later, as Ava began to stir, I groggily opened my eyes and peered across the room to try and make out the small numbers on the clock. I had not been sleeping long so I was convinced I would be able to start that reading. But as I focused carefully at the clock I realized I was completely in denial. The small numbers suddenly became huge; 2:00PM!! Yikes! Where did the last several hours go?! Did I really sleep with Ava for the entire nap time?
To be honest, I nearly had a heart attack. Did I really let my gaurd down and sleep rather than doing school work? Almost as quickly as that thought rushed intrusively into my mind another very quiet one snuck in. I thought 'Man, I feel like a million bucks! That was seriously enjoyable.' For those of you who know me well, you know that I adore sleep. I'm not joking when I say I fall asleep at night with a smile on my face. It's sick, really. It's a part of who I am. Nevertheless, wasn't that a few hours of laziness?
I began to think for the last day or so about all of the things we deny ourselves because it may make us feel lazy, unfocused, or as if we've let time slip away from us. In the world today, one minute is no longer measured by the number of seconds it contains, but rather by the quantity of things one can accomplish in a period of time. I'm afraid many of us have forgotten that it is okay to slow down and enjoy the simplest things in life. Was I wrong to have taken those few hours to care for my body and mind?
Let me advocate something different from the guilt inducing thoughts that can easily stop us from enjoying life. Let me suggest that one of the best things we can do for ourselves is to stop and enjoy the little things in life. In the busyness of the Christmas season and the new year on the brink of showing its face, maybe stopping to enjoy a nap isn't being lazy, maybe it's learning to slow down and love life. Perhaps sitting down to sip a lovely latte rather than rushing out the door in the morning with coffee in hand with the only purpose of zapping us to life and functioning. There can be joy in so many things if we just take a moment to stop and enjoy. Is there no joy in pausing to enjoy a new pair of fuzzy socks? What about the joy of every single bite of a perfectly seasoned dinner? I believe there is great joy in the most nominal moments.
My friends, I urge you; enjoy the little things this season (and always!). Feel the warmth of slipping on a pair of cozy socks on a chilly winter morning. Enjoy the company of those with whom you share a dinner. Embrace the laughter that comes when silly moments take place. Smile at the hand-drawn cards you receive around the holidays. Enjoy coffee or a hot tea, really enjoy it, for its flavor and warmth. Delight in that bit of dessert you've sworn off for the rest of the year. I don't know where you are today, or what your challenges and joys in life are today, but let me urge you to stop and enjoy.
Sincerely, the simplest joys bring the most joys in life. Blessings this Christmas season to you and yours.
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