"What Are You Busy About"

“It is not enough that you are busy.

The question is, What are you busy about?”

~ Henry DavidThoreau ~

Lately, I’ve been on a Downton Abbey kick due to buying the first four seasons for a pittance on Boxing Day. As an aside, do you think of “small things” like paying little for such pleasure as blessings? I certainly do for in the evenings, when I’m holding down the sofa after a day of, seemingly, endless activity, to escape into a beautiful world that was and, probably, will never be again, a pleasurable blessing. 

During the night, should the dogs or I need to get up, that’s a time of prayer for folks on the prayer list, family, friends, my country, me and the list is endless. One recent night, I got up in the wee dark hours and found myself praying for Cora and Robert Crawley, Tom and his baby and his status as a new widower...then, caught up short, I thought, “Wake UP you crazy woman! These are characters in a television drama, stop wasting prayer on them!” Thus the power of JulianFellowes and his wonderfully crafted script, Downton Abbey and another favorite Gosford Park.

~ borrowed photo ~

When I asked a friend if she watched Downton Abbey she retorted, “I tried watching it but it’s nothing but a soap opera and I’m not wasting my time!” But, isn’t most of television, outside of game shows, soap operas? They may not sell soap but they have a cast of characters whose story goes on and on and on, week after week after week. I think it comes down to choose your crazy...I mean soap opera aside, Downton Abbey has captured me, heart and mind, if I admit to praying for them during the night when I’m half awake/asleep...crazy woman!

During the daylight hours, I am busy about a lot but find I’m too scattered and disjointed to be always effective.  I’ve always been a great list maker, much to Dave and my MIL’s amusement, but if I don’t have lists, I get less done. Time management studies say “focus, focus, focus” and my question is, “How does one focus where there’s SO much to be done?” I’ve pared down, especially since Dave’s death, and no longer do volunteer work off the farm. Instead, I knit orange hats and scarves to give to shelters as well as orange hats to give to neighboring hunters but say ‘no’ to everything else. (And, I say ‘no’ with absolutely no guilt whatsoever!)

I’m thinking of assigning different days of the week to different tasks but that’s not a great solution. Farm work has to be done on sunny days while house work can be done any day and I keep Sabbath on Sundays except when there's a "have to' situation.

Some say writing down the __ (fill in the number) most important things you must do today and focus on those things and that’s where I get off track. When you’re flying solo, everything is important and there’s no sharing of tasks so I choose the 5 most important areas and chip away at those making sure to leave some porch sitting time because personal renewal is always important. Along with porch sitting time, Bible devotions are done in early morning but neither porch sitting nor devotions are on the list.

This morning, walking to the barn, I spent thirty minutes taking photos of an eagle; there's always time to squeeze in the important! 

And more time taking photos of Kit Carson:

So, to answer Thoreau’s question, what am I busy about? 

I am busy about the task of life and am blessed to be able to have this as my business. So many people are on the “career treadmill” and some are caught up in a daily grind that chips away at personal satisfaction and even life itself. When I see bloggers who are making a living blogging, I raise my cuppa in salute! It’s wonderful when people are able to schedule their lives in a manner that enhances their life, the lives of their families and making money to pay bills is an added plus. Well done!

How do you handle “time management”? Are you a list maker? How do you handle the many hats you wear? Do you find you get a lot done or a little done about a lot? 

What are you busy about?

Blessings ~ fresh air ~ eagles ~ Kit Carson ~ time ~ Kensington Station, such memories! ~ Downton Abbey and Gosford Park ~