Posted in A Moment in My Life

“Same Ole Every Day”

A Moment in My Life – Thursday, February 4, 2021

“Hi Dad, how was your day?” I ask my Father-in-law when I call him.

“I’m doing good,” he replies. “I am the same every day. I think I told you. It is the same every day. Nothing changes.”

I asked him what he does all day, and this is what he said. “I go walking a few times a day. I walk the hallways. I go downstairs to where all the people meet. I watch the people and listen to them talk to each other. I never talk. I listen. Now, I stay in my room. There are sick people in the building. They don’t want us to leave our rooms. I don’t go walking out in the hallways anymore. I walk in my room.”

 Dad used to watch TV and read a lot, but now he no longer cares for either because of his vision challenges. In recent years, his day consists of sitting, walking, waiting for his three meals each day, and of course, yours truly’s phone call. Knowing this, I still occasionally ask him, “Don’t you get bored, Dad?” He always answers with a no.  

I am fascinated that Dad could do that. I haven’t successfully gotten him to tell me what goes on in his mind while he sits there. Unlike Dad, heaven forbid if I have nothing to do. I’m a multi-tasker. Having nothing to do, is like a slow, agonizing death. Sitting idle in front of the TV means I fall asleep. That is my response to having nothing to do. Mark used to say that I run myself ragged until I run out of gas, then I drop. He knew me so well. 

A successful day means every task gets checked off before the end of the day. To ensure this, I have daily routines in place. The other day, I heard in an interview that routines make the day fly by quickly. When we were young with no plans, the day took forever to end. The more we do, the faster the day flies. I see the truth in these statements. This truth made me reassess the way I’m living my life. I need to slow down my days.

It’s good to sit idle and take a daily siesta for health purposes, but life doesn’t go on if that’s all we do. We need to keep productive, have goals and accomplishments. Finding that balance is the key to a rich, healthy day well lived. That’s my new goal. I’m scheduling in siesta. Hilarious, I know, but there is no harm in having a to-do list. What’s on the list is what matters most. 

Keeping it interesting, I’m shrinking my routines and incorporating various things into my day. It doesn’t have to be fancy or adventurous. I mean, it could be, if that’s what floats your boat. The important thing is to keep it engaging and change things up to avoid falling into the rut syndrome. I started this new goal by taking a drive out somewhere I haven’t been in a long time just to be doing it, and the change of scenery was refreshing. I returned fresh and ready to get things done. Spending an afternoon in a book is what I crave but rarely have time to do—until now. What about you? Have you been cooped up too long? It’s a gorgeous day, perfect for an outdoor walk, jog, or biking. Maybe challenge yourself to try something on your bucket list that you do today? Anything goes on this list as long as it keeps it from being the same ole every day.

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