Busyness vs. Laziness

I recently read a blog post about the busy life of Americans. You can find the original article here, it was titled "The Busy Trap." To sum it up, we are programmed to believe that if we are not busy, we are lazy. Advertisements, state of mind, hollywood all tell us that being busy means we are important, worthwhile, and a "big deal". The blog writer actually writes from a hideaway that he escaped to because he couldn't handle the busy life. I wish it were that easy. Some days, I'd like to escape to a hideaway to just be lazy. Don't get me wrong, I'd take my kid and husband...(most days). 

Let me explain myself by sharing a little history about me. In college, I was lucky enough to spend a semester in Sevilla, Spain. For the spring semester, I "took classes" in Southern Spain and embraced the culture, language, and most importantly, siesta. I was able to stop for coffee in the morning (by morning, I'm talking 11am), smell the oranges on my walk to school, and literally take a siesta almost daily. In the beginning, I would find things to do during siesta...but a couple months in, I learned the Spanish way. I napped, sunbathed, read books, listened to music, or just watched the world go by on a park bench each day for at least an hour. This is what I miss the most about my time there. 

Most days I hit the ground running between 5 and 5:30 in the morning and don't slow down until 8:30 pm with no siesta in between. You see, if I didn't get up, get ready, work, take care of my babe, make dinner, and do some household chore each day I would consider myself lazy. What?!? Who makes these rules?!? The pressure of the American lifestyle sets these expectations for the average mother, wife, husband, etc. If I didn't work, I would be lazy. If I didn't volunteer, I wouldn't be selfless and give back. If I don't cook, clean, launder the family's clothes, I'm just a slob. 

I think it's time to give ourselves a break! I want to take the time to breathe in the smell of my son before he doesn't smell like a baby anymore. I want to make the time to go to the local farmer's market instead of the grocery store. I want to read. I want to bake. I want to nap. Only I can control that. So, here's to saying no and slowing down to smell the roses. I strongly encourage all my readers (I'm reminded there are still 0) to try to do the same. Let me know how it works out. I imagine it won't be as easy as it seems.