Slowing Down

I'm in my first week of a slower schedule, now that I have finished with clients. I work about two hours a day in Campus Ministries, study a little bit for my one weekly class and three intensive classes (all day long for only a few days of the semester). At first, this diminished list "have-to's" was actually intimidating and almost depressing. Strange how we can get so used to a hectic schedule that we don't know who we are without it.

Gradually, over the week I've learned to love it. Ok, so it's only Wednesday, so apparently it didn't take long. However, the week isn't flying by like it usually does either. In any case, I've come to really enjoy my extended time with God, and it's feeling more like a familiar rest at home than a chore to check of the list.

But there have been a few other things I've noticed changing that I had not anticipated. For example, I get a lot more excited about eating, and even more surprisingly, about cooking. Don't get me wrong, I have not yet craved or created anything more complicated than some hardy pasta and sauce, green beans, and salad. But even this is a step above frozen waffles or ramen. Instead of doing everything else until I'm absolutely starving and stuff my mouth with whatever I can find in the fridge or the cabinets, I find myself casually thinking ahead and planning the next meal before I'm hungry for it.

Another change has been a return to domestic joys. I've been much more faithful with keeping the kitchen clean and vacuuming. Today I planted a mini-garden: 1 cabbage, 1 basil, 1 rosemary, 1 coriander, 6 lettuce plants, and 6 broccoli plants. Sort of just came at a whim, but I'm excited about it. I also got to transplant all the flowers that used to be in that bed to other random corners of the yard, creating surprise splashes of red impatiens. Laundry has still not quite made it to the top of the priority list, but I do envision ironing one day soon perhaps. I also envision a little clothes line for energy-saving, autumn-breeze-fresh laundry.

So I guess this slowing down is going ok. Just takes a little adjustment. Maybe this is sort of what it's like to retire?