Monday, September 01, 2008

To Everything There Is A Tennis Ball


Believe it or not, I'm a lot more laid back than I used to be. Those who have been around a while remember my anniversary trip when I couldn't stop thinking of the dirty laundry at home. I'm trying to out grow that kind of thinking.
I have fried many days off with the pressure of getting done all the stuff that hadn't gotten done throughout the week. I have found that I can get just as much done without a clenched jaw and furrowed brow. Also discovered that if I take time in my days off to watch an old Katherine Hepburn movie or Green Acres rerun or take an impromptu nap; I'm not so exhausted on my work days that I can't throw in some laundry. I figure the day before I die I'll have learned how to live with both accomplishment and rest at the same time.
Donny could teach me a thing or two about daily pleasures. He insists on fun. He does not particularly care if his fun is at the expense of your convenience. If he wants to go outside, he wants it RIGHT NOW and he's not going away until you stand up and open the door. And let me tell you about his tennis ball problem. He is obsessed. He carries two or three at a time and will drop the nasty dirty spitty things in your lap over and over until you give up and throw it for him to chase it. And when it's time to rest, he's very particular about just exactly what is the best spot for lazing. Kennel? Couch? In the hole in the back yard? In bed? He knows what he likes. I fear my dog is more mentally healthy than I am. I have never seen him with a furrowed brow. And between you and me, I have evidence that he is not constipated like some of us.
It is to Donny's advantage that he can pursue only fun every day. But I will admit that I have had the opportunity for the pursuit of pleasure and let it pass me by. Maybe my guilty secret is my pleasure was complaining about being a martyr?
There will always be another table to dust, another floor to mop. I am learning now to do enough (and that does not mean do nothing) and then to sit on the deck eating Rice Krispies and just resting.
So if you see me with a tennis ball in my mouth, don't worry. I'm just trying to find a little balance.

Genesis 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

2 comments:

Deb said...

There's nothin' like a lapful of dog-slobber tennis balls to get your mind completely off your work an into FUN!

tina fabulous said...

well, digging his sleepin' hole was quite the strenuous endeavor! hes familiar with the business end of a good time.

now go be all fun-like.