Sometimes you just gotta stop thinking...

I've been laying on my floor, eye pillow over my eyes, just breathing in the mint and rosemary... (it's from the new batch!)

Yesterday I was working, working, working, doing laundry, fighting back the vines, taking care of ... well... I won't bore you with the endless details... and it occurred to me that I had been working really hard and that it was okay to rest. So I went into my Spirit Room and put my cushions in a restorative yoga pose, grabbed my eye pillow and started watching my breath. Uh oh, monkey mind. So, in a fit of practicing what I preach, I decided to watch my monkey mind. Here's a smorgasbord of what it said:

"boy i'm tired why do you think i'm so tired am i sleeping enough should i stop drinking maybe i should exercise more when will i find the time what a beautiful day this is should i try and advertise in the bowie blade do you think i'm going to ever be successful enough that i won't have to worry about money why hasn't montreat gotten back to me will i have to sell the car i wish i could sell more herbal things did i turn the oven off maybe i should plan a restorative yoga day when would i have it what will i do with rhia gone where is rhia i bet both those kids are napping i mean who naps in the afternoon are you angry cause they are napping or because you aren't??????"

That last one made me jump up. YEAH! Why can't I nap? Instantly my mother's voice comes into my head "how lazy are you that you want to nap during the day, there are things to do, people to see!!!" Hmmm. and Hmmmm. I decide to do what I want. A radical move. I scoop up my blankies, run and get a pillow and lay down on the couch. Feeling like a little kid sneaking a cookie from the cookie jar. Trying to justify to the monkey mind that is my mother's voice with the monkey mind that is mine "i just watched a show last night that said that sleep is really important and will make you lose weight and perform better on tests and i don't care if i don't have a test i'll do what i want!!!! just for a minute or so....K?"

Mmmmm. Positively decadent. Breeze blowing through the curtains, constant buzz noise of chain saws (don't ask) , stretching out, ahhhh.

For restitution, I made a for real dinner that was mighty tasty. Thought I had gotten away with it (not that my husband cares one iota) until my daughter, in my mother's voice, loudly proclaims at the dinner table that I had slept all day.

Somedays college doesn't look so bad. The snitch.

To anyone that needs it: You have my permission to rest and take it easy-- it's summer and you don't need an excuse. And you don't need to deserve it although I'm sure you do. Enjoy!