Doing too much--and boredom...

Will someone please tell my son that boredom is truly a luxury!
Granted, he doesn’t say that he’s bored too often.. He’s only six and hasn’t cottoned on yet to that annoying of all overused adolescent phrases. However, since he could not use the computer today, he’s said he’s bored!

Starting this blog, trying to learn some basic html, working through my creative writing course, reading, writing ,and thinking (when I can hear myself!) , and all my mothering duties leave me no space for boredom. When people ask a stay-at-home mum “what do you do all day?” Watch out--that is if you really do want to know the answer. But I can’t really complain because I just came across a blog of a mother of seven!! www.notesfromthetrenches.com and it is inspiring. I plan to add it to my links as soon as I figure that out.

I’ve found that lately, even though I’ve been graced with a few minor epiphanies, sometimes, its all too much and I think why couldn’t I have thought of some of this earlier in life, or spread it out more evenly through the years? But it doesn’t work like that and half the technology didn’t exist then anyway. It seems to be wired into our brains to constantly try and do too much… Too much ‘doing’ all the time is stressful, and can also leave little room for new ideas to enter. Becoming a mother in a way has allowed me more time to ‘be’. Not that I don’t do a lot , but in the realm of worldly pursuits, I’ve chosen to retreat to the home space. Home space for many of us is where we renew and recharge our batteries. I recently read this in a book about the Quaker movement, Listening to the Light by Jim Pym:

Every stage of our lives offers fresh opportunities. Responding to divine guidance try to discern the right time to undertake or relinquish responsibilities without undue pride or guilt. Attend to what love requires of you, which may not be great busyness.

The thing that struck me, was the advice to also consider relinquishing responsibilities when necessary. We always seem to be encouraged to start new things, to seek out, to begin, but what about letting go, ending, stopping? This is not always so straightforward. Attend to what love requires of you. How simple and yet so encompassing.

Love requires me to be present for my children (and that is not always easy). Love may require us to be available for a conversation with our partner, or our friend, or to just listen perhaps. Love may require much more demanding tasks from you as well, as when a loved one is facing death or serious illness. Sometimes busyness leads to carelessness… we just don’t take time ,or feel we have the time, to consider the details, the little things that matter. I have been reminding myself of this a lot lately, since my children seem particularly good at reminding me of the ever-important details. So with that in mind, I may not contribute to this blog as much as I may like to. And now, my son has just put the Beatles on, Let it Be...