Dolce far niente

I've always said that one of my hobbies is doing absolutely nothing to the point where you get too lazy to even text. Well thanks to "EAT PRAY LOVE" I learned my new favorite phrase of "dolce far niente" - it means the sweetness of doing nothing. If there was a dating website based on phrases, I would marry this one! Yessss.

Unfortunately, there are limited amount of days in my life in which I can say that I feel fully rested but today is the exception. I feel fantastic and being home is just amazing. No traffic, no computer (well, til' I started typing this blog; my robot called out today) and no homework. I fantasize about one day getting rid of my organizer with my one million to-do lists but then again I get little panic attack at the thought of it.

So why do we live life so rushed? Is it the American curse to work so much? I feel like its a vicious cycle I don't want to be a part of. I want to learn to smell the flowers and take a jog without my ipod so that I can hear my thoughts and meditate on what's important. To reach the quietness and achieve serenity. I want to learn that real worship is not music or humming creatively. I want to be taken back to the innocence I carried as a child when I undeniably believed anything was possible. My mind has been tainted and reshaped to something foreign. I want to reformat my hard drive to its factory settings to live the life that I was created to live and not just live the life I imagine for myself. To know that I don't have to worry about a thing because my creator has it all under control. I really want that.

I had a conversation with my dad today about one of my old bosses who was so giving and careless in a healthy way. He didn't let the little things get to him, he often took the office out to lunch just because, he would close the office early just because and he always carried with him a sense of joy. He was a widowed man, his only son was married, he outgrew his position in his career and he then found out he had cancer. He lived life to the fullest regardless of what he had been through. My dad and I were noticing how when you're at that stage in your life, money, status and the clothes you wear don't matter anymore. Why? Because you've lived long enough to have those things and realize they meant nothing and that giving and living wholeheartedly mean absolutely everything!

Let's think of these things and contrast them with the things we invest most of our time in: our thoughts, our energy and our money. Fast forward a few years from now and think, will it matter? Go sniff a flower and take the time to enjoy the sweetness of doing nothing. Listen to your thoughts and pay attention to the beating of your heart and smile. Embrace the silence. Do it, I triple dog dare you.

:)