At this very moment, I’m sitting with my feet propped up on a picnic table, my dog nosing around under my legs and venturing out into the sunshine. Birds are singing, sun is illuminating the ez-up tent we’ve erected over the table, and my husband is sitting a few feet away, soaking in some early afternoon rays.
It’s Spring Break. We’re camping. It’s time for a brain break, so this is the first time all week I’ve even bothered to take my laptop out. Tomorrow is Blog Day but we’ll be breaking down and heading home; while I carry the laptop for emergencies (I’m a techie), it’s out today to record notes about our camping trip for the next time — and to write another blog entry to you, of course.
I made myself the promise that I would check my weight every morning and plan my days accordingly. So far, I’ve done well; I’ve stayed within a pound or two of my starting weight, which is a huge improvement over my normal camping forays; I usually see that as my time for letting go of everything, including watching what I eat.
It’s worked well, and it’s actually taken some stress off of me to not have to worry quite as much about the next meal just as we’re finishing the last one, which is the normal way these camping trips are; food is a big part of them. I’ve actually had less work to do because there’s less food to fuss with, and I rather like that.
On the other side of this was my total need to disconnect. I needed brain downtime. A mental defrag, where I’m not really responsible for anything at all for a few days. It’s been an indulgent time; lots of sleep, lots of quiet. I haven’t even been reading — instead, I’ve been coloring in adult coloring books while listening to nature around me.
Every once in a while, we all need disconnects. We need these times when we can dispense with the normal daily mental litter and just exist. Stretch out our legs in the sun. Or, like my dog, snooze on a pillow with her head propped on a lap blanket. Wait for the next breeze to billow the camp flags at the front of the campsite. Think of nothing more than simply enjoying the moment.
Next week, with its trials, will come soon enough. My rescheduled knee appointment is on Monday, and I’ll be confirming my knee replacement surgery date; from this point onward, much of my life will center on that, so taking a final breath as spring break tails down to an end is more restful than anything I could have done at home.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Move on.