Saturday, September 16, 2006

Sasha Lessons


Work is not always required. There is such a thing as sacred idleness.
George MacDonald

I took Sasha Lessons all day Saturday. Our cat, Sasha, is well known for her gift of leisure. She has turned it into an art form, as only a feline can accomplish. When we attempt a truly relaxing day, we call it taking "Sasha Lessons".

Normally such a day would include coffee "out" in the morning, stopping by the farmer's market since it was Saturday, reading a great book on my front porch and perhaps doing some baking in the kitchen.

This day my Sasha Lessons were mostly about napping. The last three weeks were hectic and my alarm rang far too early on many mornings. My body ached with weariness. I tried to read but I found myself on the same page for too long. It was definitely time for a day off.

What is it about women that we feel guilty about taking a day off? When I decide I must rest, the dust bunnies began to multiply, the dishes pile up in the sink by themselves, the drip pan on the stove turns ugly overnight and I don't want to talk about the kitchen floor.

So, I watch Sasha and realize she doesn't have a care in the world. She knows she has kibble and fresh water. She knows there will be Fancy Feast in the morning. She doesn't fret about housework, or schoolwork, cooking, or cleaning. She sleeps with a smile on her face (really, she does). We can't be like Sasha often, nothing would get accomplished. However, once in awhile, Sasha Lessons are a very good idea.

3 comments:

Mary said...

Sounds very relaxing and well deserved. We all need a day now and then to just rest. I call mine 'mental health' days.

G.L.H. said...

Great thought. Every other job has days off. Why do we always feel guilty?

Maybe because at other jobs, it's always somebody else's "day on" when we aren't there, and the work gets done, anyway? :)

--Barbara

Brenda@CoffeeTeaBooks said...

Mental health days were what I called those days I "called in sick" when I worked full time. Most of the time, I just needed to take a twenty-four hour break to keep me sane (so mental health days were not fibbing at all).