The Importance of Doing Nothing

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Today, I was talking to Tunabreath, and she said, “I think it’s really great that you did nothing yesterday.” Funny, but in the busy world we all seem to live in, I never expected anyone to laud me for doing absolutely nothing in a day.

In the past, I had never ever been a “nothing” supporter. I worked, I grocery shopped, I cooked, and I could barely keep up with the laundry and house cleaning on the weekends. I had no idea what doing “nothing” was, because I felt like I always needed to be doing “something” in order to keep treading water in the Sea of Life.

Yesterday, Iz and I had a Nothing Day. (See http://goddessofallthingslovely.blogspot.com/2009/10/feelin-groovy.html. ) I have a running list of all the things I should do, but yesterday, I said, “F*ck it. We’re doing nothing today.” She played on my computer while I watched TV. I watched a DVD while she watched TV. And, then I said, “Hey, let’s go do nothing outside!” And, we spent 2 hours outside doing “nothing.” Well, it was nothing that was totally something to us then.

I have to confess. I did vacuum for about 20 minutes yesterday; however, the rest of the day was spent watching movies, painting fingernails, showing some love to the kitties, and running around the front yard like maniacs! And, yesterday was one of the best days of my life.

So, if they have life coaches and professional organizers, don’t you think they should have Nothingness Gurus? This would be a person who (and I’m thinking women need this more than men…err, no offense) says, “Hey, you need a day to do nothing. No, you will not drive so-and-so here and there. You will not shop and make dinner. You will not put the wet clothes from the washer into the dryer. And, you will so not pick up his/her mess! This is a day of YOU when it’s not your birthday, which is totally the day of you!”

As of late, I believe that you cannot appreciate “nothing” ‘til you have had the time to realize you have a lot of something and are fortunate enough to do something and “nothing” at the same time.

And, that being said, I’m going to see if my pillow is soft, teach Monty how to bark, and check that my bike has two tires. Yes, I’m trying to find lots of things not to do, and so should you. Well, if not every day, you should strive to do nothing at least once a month. ♥

The Strangest Gym Experience I’ve Had Ever Note: Have you ever run on a treadmill next to a person who sounded like she was having sex...good sex...while running?!?!? And, even more, err, unique was that she was wearing sunglasses while running; thus, was this sex with a treadmill in cognito?!?! All I can tell you is that the next time I go to the gym, I’m so getting on her treadmill!

The Oddest and Funniest Thing I Overhead When Out and About Today Note: I stopped in a small store to buy a bottle of wine. The second salesperson was on the phone. And, when on the phone, I heard her say, “Are you going to the bathroom while you’re talking to me?!?!!?”

My Favorite Nothingness Quote Note and I Have This Next to My Mom’s Picture: “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever. Its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness.” ~John Keats

I truly hope none of us ever passes into “nothingness.” But, I do hope most of us experience “nothingness” turned into "somethingness" just like Iz and I did the other day. ♥