I don't believe I can remember a time in my growing-up years when we didn't have a pet. A never-ending stream of dogs and cats seemed destined to be always hanging around, usually being "on the wrong side of the door."
I was (and am) continually amazed at the practiced and well-honed skill that dogs and cats have (but especially cats) - that of relaxation. When my mom would see a cat practicing this skill (and yes, they do it 20 out of 24 hours) she'd say, "Now ain't that just sufferin' comfort!" I was never sure if it was her way of saying the critter was cute, or whether she was actually jealous of the feline for being able to completely let go and enjoy doing absolutely nothing. Given her type A personality I suspect it was the latter.
The guilt some people experience over what they consider "doing nothing" is unwarranted in many cases. People were designed to need a break from work or the everyday routine.
Resting, making time to take a break, is not "doing nothing". It is "suffering comfort." In Elizabethan times, the verb "to suffer" meant "to allow" - and if taken in that context the expression would mean "allowing comfort to happen" - or letting oneself be comforted. This is not a bad thing. It's like a solar-powered battery soaking up the sun's energy. Too long going without, and reserves run low.
I have a tendency to forget that I need to recharge. Often, I use time that could be spent in replenishing my spiritual and physical energy by working, or by doing things that drain me. But when I take the time to allow myself to be comforted (yeah, I like that rendition) then I find that I have a reservoir of strength upon which to draw when I need it.
It's a simple concept, and one which I constantly need to remind myself to put into practice.
I was (and am) continually amazed at the practiced and well-honed skill that dogs and cats have (but especially cats) - that of relaxation. When my mom would see a cat practicing this skill (and yes, they do it 20 out of 24 hours) she'd say, "Now ain't that just sufferin' comfort!" I was never sure if it was her way of saying the critter was cute, or whether she was actually jealous of the feline for being able to completely let go and enjoy doing absolutely nothing. Given her type A personality I suspect it was the latter.
The guilt some people experience over what they consider "doing nothing" is unwarranted in many cases. People were designed to need a break from work or the everyday routine. Resting, making time to take a break, is not "doing nothing". It is "suffering comfort." In Elizabethan times, the verb "to suffer" meant "to allow" - and if taken in that context the expression would mean "allowing comfort to happen" - or letting oneself be comforted. This is not a bad thing. It's like a solar-powered battery soaking up the sun's energy. Too long going without, and reserves run low.
I have a tendency to forget that I need to recharge. Often, I use time that could be spent in replenishing my spiritual and physical energy by working, or by doing things that drain me. But when I take the time to allow myself to be comforted (yeah, I like that rendition) then I find that I have a reservoir of strength upon which to draw when I need it.
It's a simple concept, and one which I constantly need to remind myself to put into practice.
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