ALL I WANT IS A ROOM SOMEWHERE
Tuesday Dec. 2, 2014
With one enormous chair …
Oh, wouldn’t that be lovely?
To sleep, perchance to dream.
I like this: “What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter – a soothing, calming influence on the mind, rather like a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue.” – Henri Matisse
Endurance, like life, is no sprint. It’s a marathon. Pushing ourselves is exhausting. Sitting on sidelines is as exhausting – fatigue of worry and frustration. Yet, fatigue is life’s perfect sleeping pill …
Work doesn’t take a vacation – people do.
When people come back from vacation, as I just did, work is there waiting for them. I don’t know if that is a universal truth, but it seems prominent for me at this moment.
Maybe I’m getting rusty … or old. Or maybe I’d forgotten that the collision of mail, month end, first of month, Monday, that pile of things called ‘when I get back’ and a schedule of errands, appointments and calls would all collide on the same day …
I’d theorized how getting back at things on Sunday and Monday would make calm return by Tuesday. How all those follow-up calls and emails I’d diarized would spread out the week.
I was wrong!
Seriously, I am so grateful to be back … grateful for interesting work to do, great clients to work for and opportunity. It comes knocking, or ringing, or emailing when least expected – and most welcome – to return to.
Must go. Do. Work.
Play and gentle sleep are not on this week’s agenda yet, but soon …
Where is my armchair?
Mark Kolke
column written/ published from Calgary, AB
very early morning walk: -6C/21F, light breeze, clear but stars seem so pale and far away compared to how they appeared in Hawaii; Gusta was keen to tromp through snow. I was happy to be not quite as cold.
Reader feedback:
Welcome back! Hope you had a great time, and thanks for bringing the warming trend!, MK, Calgary, AB
Thanks, Mark, for both acknowledging my note and making your "little corner of the world" so accessible and meaningful. Best regards, BV, Marina del Ray, CA
