- Starting the day by chatting with L, my former roommate, on another continent
- the good news that in not so many months, I'll get to chat with her in person, since she's coming for a visit
- laughing over a sign for a course in "Practical Intuition" It feels like intuition should either be practical, or else those words are a complete oxymoron. In any case, seeing the two words paired together made me laugh.
- hugging several dear friends who have lost loved ones recently
- attending a funeral that, hours later, continues to rattle around inside my head and heart, stretching my faith in ways I don't yet understand
- a treatment to end the evening
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Daily 5 - Year 2, Day 65
Today's Daily 5:
Interruption in Routine
When I left for California, there were dozens of little routines that defined my day.
Check email. Maintain the lives of various virtual animals on iphone games. Write at least one "real" blog post along with the daily 5 list. use a phone app to keep track of how much sleep I got the night before. play such and such a facebook game. Keep up on blog reading and facebook.
My crazy living situation added particular things to my routine too. Get up. Find out when the bus comes. Catch the bus to mom and dad's. Eat breakfast. Make sure to fit a shower in sometime before going home. Go through the day. Figure out whether I have a ride home, or need to take the bus.
I like routine. Routine doesn't change. It feels safe.
And sometimes it smothers and adds pressure without me even noticing.
The only routine that came with me when I traveled was writing a daily 5 list, and that was different because I wrote that every night sitting across from a friend I'd spent the day with, laughing, and essentially co-writing it.
The interruption in routine was worth it.
I didn't realize that I was feeling pressured to cram things into my day.
When maintaining the life of a virtual animal in a game, and managing to check in at the right times of the day becomes a source of pressure, it's time for that to end.
When making sure to read every article (or at least skim them) in google reader becomes an obligation, it's time for some paring down of what's in google reader.
The interruption in my routine was a blessing.
It gave me breathing space.
It forced a step away from the routines.
The virtual farm, ranch, bird sanctuary, fish tanks and stores shut down.
I didn't miss reading every news headline from the bbc in google reader.
I came home and reevaluated.
Some of those routines I picked back up. And some I let die.
And now I'm waiting.
Waiting to see what comes. What new routines will be added. What else needs to be subtracted.
But I've been thinking for weeks about that interruption in routine. About the fact that I deliberately left home to create time to think and pray, but also that it forced a stop and restart of life here. And I'm thankful for the relief from pressures I hadn't even noticed.
Check email. Maintain the lives of various virtual animals on iphone games. Write at least one "real" blog post along with the daily 5 list. use a phone app to keep track of how much sleep I got the night before. play such and such a facebook game. Keep up on blog reading and facebook.
My crazy living situation added particular things to my routine too. Get up. Find out when the bus comes. Catch the bus to mom and dad's. Eat breakfast. Make sure to fit a shower in sometime before going home. Go through the day. Figure out whether I have a ride home, or need to take the bus.
I like routine. Routine doesn't change. It feels safe.
And sometimes it smothers and adds pressure without me even noticing.
The only routine that came with me when I traveled was writing a daily 5 list, and that was different because I wrote that every night sitting across from a friend I'd spent the day with, laughing, and essentially co-writing it.
The interruption in routine was worth it.
I didn't realize that I was feeling pressured to cram things into my day.
When maintaining the life of a virtual animal in a game, and managing to check in at the right times of the day becomes a source of pressure, it's time for that to end.
When making sure to read every article (or at least skim them) in google reader becomes an obligation, it's time for some paring down of what's in google reader.
The interruption in my routine was a blessing.
It gave me breathing space.
It forced a step away from the routines.
The virtual farm, ranch, bird sanctuary, fish tanks and stores shut down.
I didn't miss reading every news headline from the bbc in google reader.
I came home and reevaluated.
Some of those routines I picked back up. And some I let die.
And now I'm waiting.
Waiting to see what comes. What new routines will be added. What else needs to be subtracted.
But I've been thinking for weeks about that interruption in routine. About the fact that I deliberately left home to create time to think and pray, but also that it forced a stop and restart of life here. And I'm thankful for the relief from pressures I hadn't even noticed.
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