Wonderful Waste of Time

This past week I've spent a lot of time getting to know my couch. I have lupus, and autoimmune disorder, and unfortunately this week was what I affectionately call a "bad body week." Luckily I live about four steps away from the University of Chicago medical center, so after getting some fantastic care, I came home and began watching endless hours of the People's Court and Judge Mathis on TV.

It's been a long time since I just sat around and did nothing. As much as I should have used this mandated-at-home-time to work on a research paper for my Pentateuch class, or follow up on some CPE sites, I did a whole bunch of nothing. And boy, was it delightful. Tonight, after doing more nothing, I cracked open a beloved novel I used to read when I was a teenager. It felt so luxurious to take the trip back down memory lane, re-reading a favorite book from the good-ol-days.

While the past few days may in many ways seem like a collasial waste of time, I am so glad to have been laid up when I was. Don't get me wrong, trying to catch up on Greek homework is no treat, but in the midst of the semseter I have forgotten what it is like to pamper myself and just be.

A couple of friends came over and brought me dinner this evening, and one friend asked if I was worried about my courses having missed a few days. I was surprised to hear myself answer no. I think that the reason why I am not any more worried than normal is because my mind had an opportunity to be still and breathe. My only goal for a week was to put a new divot in my couch cushions, and it was rather healing for my spirit to get a little R&R.

In the exicitement of only having five more weeks of classes, I hope I can remember to take the time to just be and to splurge on trash television and pointless books of fiction. We all deserve that point of healing, and while mine came in an unlikely package, I'm so glad to have the gift of wasted time.