Do you ever feel as though you have too much time? Covid keeping us all locked in our homes may be the only time that I felt as though there was too much time in the day, week, month. Honestly, we are able to come and go, as long as we are being cautious and following health precautions. Since I have Lupus, I am careful about going out; however, I have and will go out to eat with my family if all the stars align in my favor. There is no such thing as too much time, unless you are waiting for a loved one to return to you from some faraway place. Then, I will grant you that it can seem like “too much time”.

We all know how precious time is and hopefully as you age, you are really starting to understand it. As a child, no way, we wanted to be grown up as soon as possible. “Take naps? No thanks, I don’t want to miss out on anything.” Now, oh to take a nap, what a luxury that would be. Most of you have daily stresses from schooling, jobs, keeping the house clean, cooking meals, picking up the kids, taking the kids to games, school, running errands. A nap would be such a welcome indulgence right now. You have earned it!

But, alas, none of you have time for it. I do have time for it but I use it the wrong way. What am I resting for? Pain takes a lot out of you, but come on, a nap! I need to learn to redirect from falling back on that “giving up” style of napping and do things that are simple, but help my heart and soul heal.

Let’s think about some other ways to spend the precious time we have; even if you are not feeling well. My first thought is to put your phone in a drawer or on silent, if you must keep it with you.

• Take a walk
• Take a nap
• Meditate
• Window shop
• Bake something
• Write a letter to a family member who would appreciate this
• Put on headphones and dance
• Paint some smooth rocks

What ideas do you have? You have to have some ideas as to what you would do if you only had some expendable time?

I would go sit at the beach near where I used to live. I used to live 10 minutes from Laguna Beach and I rarely visited. I would like to take some time and enjoy it now. I would sit on a blanket with a thermos of coffee. I’d bring a notepad in case the mood strikes. I would enjoy it for as long as I could by just being in the moment, before my legs go numb. I would want to to get my feet wet and walk along the water. Then I would head up to the little town of Laguna that I love so much. I would window shop, grab a bagel or an omelet at some cute cafe. I would walk along the quaint streets. Popping into one shop or another. I would enjoy all the artwork that graces so many store fronts and sidewalks. I would enjoy that day.

Now, what would you do? There is no such thing as too much time. We all need to let that sink in and then indulge our daydreams.

Suzy