Idleness

Somewhere along the way, I got the notion that being idle was bad—that if I was idle, I was useless. Maybe it came from my agrarian roots, my parents having been raised on farms and ranches where there was always something to do. My first career was teaching, with endless papers to grade and lessons to prepare, while raising two children.

I don’t live on a farm or ranch. I hire people to do what is needed for my home and yard. I no longer work to earn a living. My children are grown and thriving. So, sometimes, there’s nothing to do but relax, read a book, take a walk, or just sit and watch the scenery. Then the guilt nudges me.

The pull to action is still strong, long after the need for it has gone.

You write it: Is there a pattern from your past that is no longer useful?