Lately my wife and I have been struggling with turning our minds off and allowing ourselves to relax. It’s an interesting juxtaposition in that as soon as we started slowing down on the weekends and spending more time at home “relaxing” we started having issues taking it easy. And it hasn’t been for a lack of trying but sometimes what worked in the past doesn’t necessarily work now.
My
issue has always been that I need to have something to keep my mind busy in
order for my mind to relax. At the same time, I need to take some time off during
the weekend from the daily tasks of the week so my mind is left to fend for
itself. Of course, posting on this blog and the Phillies blog keep me busy
every day but that still leaves a large chunk of time unaccounted for.
Occasionally,
television is a good refuge but it is becoming increasingly difficult with the
poo that is smeared across the dial. Some days it seems like every channel has
some form of Honey Boo Boo or Obama Boo Boo on it and I have no other choice
than to turn the darn thing off. Even the History channel, normally a reliable
fallback, seems to have more and more content focused on ghosts and aliens.
Books
provide a pleasant respite from the noise of the world but even that has become
a difficult endeavor as either it is too quite which allows my mind to enter
into the fray or my eyes are too heavy to focus which is usually the situation
during the week. I have only been able to escape into the pages of historical volumes
for fleeting moments when the larger task at hand is centered on coloring in
the leaves of the family tree. Those are the brief and intense moments that are
both tiring and refreshing as everything else around me disappears. It’s like
taking a nap in the middle of the day… it will get you through the next couple
of hours but it can’t replace a good night’s sleep.
To,
hopefully, address this issue there are a few things that I will be
reintroducing in the next week or so which hopefully will satiate my need to
relax and recharge all of which revolve around one simple task… getting the
frick out of the apartment. Traveling and returning to the synagogue for
regular weekly services is what we both need to do to keep us going, keep us
relaxed, and keep us grounded. We can do these things together and enjoy the
common experiences. However, there is one thing that I need to do by myself
(because I can’t convince my wife to go)… I need to get to the range.
Just
the thought of that makes me feel better. Some people look forward to the
relaxation of playing a round of golf or competing with their friends on the basketball
court but that is not for me. I enjoy competing with myself, and frequently
with those around me, by seeing who is the best at putting holes in paper. For
many of you this may seem like a crazy concept but this is honestly one of the
most effective ways for me to relax.
If
you take your time, respect the firearm, and focus acutely on hitting the
bulls eye the world around you disappears and all your attention is on the task
at hand. Regardless of skill or ability, I have seen everyone reach that state
of complete focus. This is the only sport where I have felt a complete sense of
peace and calm. This is my respite in the midst of a chaotic week.
So,
that is how I relax. What works for you?
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