There’s something about a lazy summer afternoon

July 25, 2021 0 Comments

Last week was an unusually quiet week around the rectory. It allowed me to do something that I had wanted to do all summer. Any. I’m not bragging or anything, but I can’t do anything with the best of them.

The week, like every week, began on Monday. For me, there is always something about a Monday morning. And this Monday morning was going to set the tone for the rest of the week.

It all started when the kind lady of the parsonage made one of her announcements. I live for these ads because I know they will affect my entire week.

“Our daughter and I,” he said quite casually, “will be leaving town for the whole day on Thursday.”

This was a shock to me, because I had not been warned. And you know what they say about being warned. However, I am not one to look at a gift horse in the mouth. I’ll take what I can take when I can.

Apparently our daughter was taking her daughter to visit friends for a whole week and she wanted my wife to accompany her to keep her company. Trying to hide my delight in the whole thing, I said seriously, “Is there anything I can do for you on your journey?”

Obviously, my offer was not listened to because the next words that came out of my wife’s mouth were: “Now, here is the list I made for you while I’m away. Make sure you do everything on that list.”

I kindly accepted “The List” and looked at it indifferently. If he did everything on that list, he would have to be gone for a month. I smiled as I folded “The List” and put it in my shirt pocket.

This is what I love about my Beloved. She is always thinking of me. Even when he plans to be away, he takes the time to plan my day. I couldn’t ask for better help in the whole world. I promised her that I would take special care of “The List” while she was out for the day. Fortunately for me, I did not define what I meant by “special care”. After being married as long as I have, there are certain things that are not appropriate to reveal to your better half.

For the rest of the week, she was busy making her plans and I, for my part, stayed out of her way as much as possible. My motto is, never interrupt someone who is busy with their business.

Finally the day arrived. Early that morning, the three of them – grandmother, mother, and daughter – loaded the car and began their journey. I stood in the doorway and waved until I could no longer see the car, and then waved for three more minutes just to make sure the job was done.

After closing the door, I sighed deeply, walked over to my chair with a hot cup of coffee, and began the day’s activities. Oh sure, I read “The List” several times and then carefully folded it and put it in my shirt pocket. As I patted my shirt pocket, I said to myself, “I plan to take special care of this list.”

Knowing all the things I was supposed to do as described in “The List”, I decided to do something that was not on that list. After all, I was now the captain of my ship and I decided to live dangerously for the day.

After pouring myself another cup of hot coffee, I went out onto the patio, sat down to enjoy the morning, and watched the birds play in the backyard. This was living. No one could ever accuse me of being scared of work because I had a complete list of work that needed to be done and I did absolutely nothing about it. It gave me a true sense of ownership. Right at this moment, I owned the moment.

I know what you are thinking right now. You’re thinking, what are you going to do when your wife comes home? That is the difference between the average person and Yours Truly. I am living in the moment. Whatever happens later has nothing to do with my enjoyment of the moment. In fact, I may have some complicated mess; however, it is a small price to pay to enjoy my moment.

Few people come to the place where they can enjoy their time in the sun. Some people have great ideas of life to the point that they work their whole lives and never get them. Some people work very hard all their lives to get to the place where they can do nothing.

I am way ahead of the ordinary citizen. I find ways to enjoy doing nothing wherever I find it. I look for those moments on purpose and grab them when I can.

Even Jesus took time to rest. “And the [Jesus] He said to them: Come you apart to a deserted place, and rest a little; for there were many who came and went, and they did not even have time to eat ”(Mark 6:31).

I remember another old Dutch saying from Pennsylvania: “The more I hurry, the later I get.”

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