The Sweetness of doing Nothing !!

The weekend was spent shifting house and settling into the new one. Last 3 days just went in a frenzy, packing, unpacking and discarding the stuff I no longer required. We had been in our last home for almost a little less than 6 years. We thought about moving many a times over the past years, yet the familiarity and the comfort of the known and easy prevented us from moving out.

The biggest reason of being in that house was it being close to my husband’s workplace. It was not even a 2 minute walk for him. This meant that our not so little one could be easily looked after during his holidays. The other reason was the playing group my son had.

The building had very poor maintenance, and inspite of good location and spacious rooms, we decided to make a move. Now that I’m home and no longer juggling work and home, and the little one already nearing teen, he no longer needs that constant support.

The house we choose now has a big spacious balcony overlooking the seafront. We both wanted a space where we could relax and the moment we had seen this, we could no longer settle for anything less. For the first time after finishing my chores, I sat up in the balcony during late afternoon. A cool breeze welcomed me and I had a good hour doing nothing and just staring at the sea. I could hear the cacophony of cars on the road, and I could admire the clouds in the clear blue sky. I was relaxed and had a good time.

What is this life, if full of care !

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs.

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

Leisure W.H Davies

I remembered these lines from one of my favorite poems. Most of us lead life at such a harried pace.We have no time to appreciate the small joys of life. I have seen people investing in beautiful homes, yet most of them they just come home to sleep. With these mini computers we have in our hands, people are always busy even in their free time. Even when doing nothing, many are multitasking doing something or the other.

I remembered my childhood where if I would have nothing would go and stand at the terrace and see vehicles passing on the road. The joy of doing nothing !! It’s very difficult to explain this to the next generation but it is equally confusing to most of my friends and acquaintances. The Italians call it la dolce far niente, or the sweetness of doing nothing.

An idle mind is not always a devil’s workshop. Would Newton have thought about laws of gravity, had he not sat admiring the falling apple.

When was the last time you sat just doing nothing ?

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