Time on My Hands

Juggling the hours in a day is nothing new. I’ve done that for years. What’s most challenging is productively filling hours that have been highly structured. Going from five days of work to five days of weekend requires adjustments.

How does it happen that all those projects you promised yourself you’d tackle when you had a few days to yourself go right out of the mind?

I’ve made a few promises to myself, though, and I’m happy to say I’m keeping them.

Walk or hike every day. For the past two weeks California ’s central valley has faced triple-digit temps, so walking right now involves getting up at dawn. The beauty of being out of the house that early is the opportunity to marvel at magnificent sunrises. I’ve always loved sunrise. When I worked in Fresno , ten years ago, I made sure to leave my Cascadel Woods home while it was still dark. I took the back way to town, down Road 211 and fed my soul with visions of egrets and blue herons, bald eagles and red-tailed hawks.

Maybe that affinity for early morning helps explain the attraction I feel for the Dineh (Navajo) people, who believe that the Holy Ones make their way across the sky at dawn. A tenant of their religion is to rise before dawn and face the east to greet them.

Start to write again. This blog is witness to keeping that pledge. After years of believing I couldn’t make time to write, I relish the moments I share with myself, reminiscing. Maybe I’ll even finish those stories I left in limbo. They’re still in my memory bank if not on the hard drive.

Do some cleaning. That one’s a little tougher, but we’re making progress there, too. That promise could be the one that fills all the remaining hours. There's plenty to do.

Scan to disk all the old family photos I can find while I still have some idea of who those folks are.

Travel and explore. So far friend Pat and I have managed trips to Napa and Lake Tahoe . It’s a great start.

There are still too many hours that seem to disappear into the Black Hole of Nothingness, but I've promised myself I'll make some plans for those, too.

It’s now after midnight and time to do something else in short supply around here: sleep!