At first I thought it was because I had nothing pressing to do. For example... I'm kind of on vacation right now in a town I've never visited before. I thought that's why. Here I am, making time to do something that normally I wouldn't have the time to do because I'd be working on one of my other projects or maybe going out, hanging out with friends, exercising - any of the many things I am wont to do. Sitting all day yesterday in a coffee shop, sipping tea and writing was my dream come true, truly. But why can't I take that with me back home? Actually I can. It's just going to look differently. It's going to look like something I've scheduled myself to do on my calendar and not have the spontaneous "excitement" of yesterday.
As the woman I'm staying with here in Austin, Michele pointed out - I also don't have my household life yelling at me to do the laundry, the dishes, cook, clean, nap... whatever it is. And that's true too. Here I have nothing but time, for this moment.
Traveling makes me appreciate things more. I appreciate "home" more, my belongings, my friends, my boyfriend, my house, my car, my dog... but WHILE I'm traveling and staying in the present moment my biggest appreciation is time, having time. I am the person who has traveled to Hawaii for 10 days with nothing more on my agenda than to sit on a different beach every single day and read a book. I'm happy to say I was able to accomplish that at one time. Life doesn't seem to follow me when I'm away. It's as though life has taken a hiatus or remains elsewhere in suspended animation for me to pick up and put back on when I go home.
Plus there are the discoveries. Self discovery, how I don't "need" the creature comforts I'm used to when I'm home. How suddenly "less is more" and I'm happy with a simple bowl of yogurt for breakfast or not showering every single day or sitting outside with mosquitos. There's also the discovery of something new. New conversations, ideas, places and experiences that I could not have or don't have when I'm home caught in my "rut". And I say rut with love because I do love my life (for the most part) and I know how lucky I am - even when things are tough.
This is my first vacation in a year and I feel long overdue. I needed to regenerate, doing absolutely nothing, even if only for a few days.
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