Sloth

My Webster`s dictionary defines it as a `disinclination to action or labour.´   In the Christian tradition it’s one of the seven deadly sins (spiritual apathy).  For me, though it`s not always a bad thing.  Sloth can be a time of relaxation after period of intense activity or thought.  In fact sloth can be necessary for your mind and body to regroup, recoup, or regenerate.

After a long walk trudging through knee-deep snow along the river bank, it`s great to come home and lie on the couch with hot chocolate and a book.  What`s better than stretching out on a lounge on your back deck on a hot summer afternoon with a cool drink, to watch birds splashing in the birdbath or feasting on your Saskatoons and strawberries?  Saves a lot of picking.  I love to spend most of a day reading a truly engrossing book; so what if it`s a mystery or fantasy rather than something mind improving?

I`m not always at ease with sloth, however.  Recently after a couple of weeks of doing various odd jobs around my house and yard, I found myself just wanting to sleep in, or watch tv or read.  There was a young adult novel waiting to be worked on and I knew I should get at it.  So I compromised and tried to do a bit of writing every day, but also give myself lots of time to be slothful.  I felt guilty – shouldn`t I be painting this chair or cleaning or washing windows?  I should really be getting more work done on the novel.  Nevertheless, I allowed myself that somewhat unsatisfactory time when I alternated periods of sloth with trying to do some work.  I generally give myself deadlines for writing projects – I`ll work on a piece for a while and then move on to something else – to avoid boredom, so after a couple of weeks, I moved on to a different writing project even though I hadn`t done much on the other one (I`ll get back to it eventually).

Suddenly my whole outlook has changed.  I`m loving this project, the writing is going well, and I`m having fun.  My days have fallen into a relaxed rhythm again, of yoga in the morning, breakfast, going for a long walk on alternate days, writing for a good chunk of the day, and doing other odds and ends (I try do one sort of `chore´ project each day as well).  So was it actually true sloth I experienced previously ,or my soul telling me that the project I`d picked wasn`t the right one at this time?

Years ago someone gave me a book extolling the virtue of naps.  It was a great book (I`ve since passed it on), talking about napping at odd times – long naps, short naps – and all the strange places you could try taking a nap (in a tree for example – I`ve never tried that).  I was still working full time, but craving sleep because I never seemed to get enough.  When I retired from my job (though I didn`t retire from working), I found that sleeping when I felt tired was a wonderful luxury, but also a necessity.  I began to feel rested for the first time in years.

These days my life is much more balanced than the last few years when I was working full time.   I generally get enough sleep and rest and I find useful and meaningful work to do (sometimes it even pays money).  Still, every once in a while I need a reminder that I have to listen to what my body and my soul are telling me about what I should be doing.