I don’t know about you, but I feel an incessant need to always be doing something. It’s hard for me to simply sit down, put my feet up and do nothing. Even if I manage to have a quiet moment with a cup of tea, my imagination is always full throttle. I very rarely can completely switch off. It’s probably why I value the meditation sessions at the end of my yoga classes as they give me permission to flip the on-off switch to off.
I’m not sure where the pressure comes from. Maybe it’s the way society is structured; working adults spend so much time in their day job that when they have time off, it’s hard to know what to do with it. It’s probably why when someone retires, instead of enjoying a new hobby, or travelling, many people end up doing temping work or taking up a new profession altogether. I’m going to stop there before I go off on a tangent about financial implications for many and why retirement isn’t often an option for everyone. Maybe that’ll be for another post – hopefully not, thanks to having a Labour Government here in the UK.
This summer despite being less productive on the literary front, I have still been busy. I’ve enjoyed many adventures: a family holiday in Spain; day trips with the little dude and play dates with his classmates; catch-ups with friends and of course, neverending chores.
The pictures I’ve included in today’s post are ones I took while on a nature walk. I spotted a jellyfish floating in the River Lagan. It’s a tidal river, but still, I found this usual as I’ve never spotted one so far away from Belfast Lough. This critter was happily drifting along. No pressure to be productive from this guy.
Okay, so the writer part of my brain knows I’m using personification here by attributing feelings to this creature that it doesn’t have. But I will reject that literary thought in favour of a philosophical lesson. If this little compass jellyfish can drift along without a care in the world, why can’t I?
Switching off now, folks. See ya!
Leilanie Stewart 