Sunday, November 2, 2008

Vacant: Illustration Friday topic

She could not seem to leave a day vacant in her calendar to just do nothing!

I did this little sketch for IF in my sketchbook as I also was filling my calendar for the week ahead. How do days, weeks, months, years, and all possible moments get sooooo full?

My week ahead includes housewife-y things (the cupboards are empty, for instance); garden-y things (must clean out the garden and rake leaves before fall pick up on Wednesday); artist-y things (I intend to weave four linear inches, among other things in the studio this week); art organizational things (am in charge of a tapestry exhibit that is getting closer and closer); neighborly things (have a neighbor I can help a bit this week); church things (the women's singing group I lead will begin holiday music this week); and community things (will make calls Tuesday for the Obama headquarters to see if voters who have signed up for it need rides to the polls). And I don't think my calendar is any fuller than anybody else's that I know of.

What are we thinking of, people? We need to schedule time to sit and contemplate the leaves falling... we need to schedule a moment to sip tea and listen to Mozart with our eyes closed... we need to schedule a few moments to laugh with a loved one or a friend... we need to schedule time to walk through the windy fall day and take note of all the scents and sounds around us. We need to stare vacantly ahead of us and get lost in the loveliness of doing nothing ... not just once or twice a year, but once or twice a day. We would be better for it. Of that I am convinced.

9 comments:

Jane said...

What a oh so familiar feeling-time just seems to fly by

Willie Baronet said...

I have the same calendar situation. :-)

Anonymous said...

Love your illustration. Very real. As far as taking that day to relax. Very important. You need to remember that your world will not crumble if you take a day off to do the things you mentioned.

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Vickie said...

Nice illustration. Nice colors. Is it really November already?

get zapped said...

Yes, once a day! It's a must for our sanity and to truly hear what we want and need. Love this! Thanks.

INDIGENE said...

Wonderful post and lovely illustration! Your contemplation was the illustration...Bravo!

www.indigeneartforms.blogspot.com

Ria said...

still working on this 'let the day be vacant' issue hardly, as you see. Very full. So need the time. Thanks for sharing the thought.

Matalonga Jorge said...

I think I forgot to leave a day vacant to...
Thanks for sharing the thought and illo. ^_^

studio lolo said...

What a beautiful post and sentiment. I haven't had a day off for at least ten months. The hard thing about being a self-employed caregiver is that you don't take time for your own care. Ugh. I'm really starting to feel the effects. Time to listen to my own advice! thanks for the reminder :)

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