It’s been over a week since I posted anything on my blog…work has been busy; I’m learning new processes, gearing up for a completely different position. But I can’t really say that has been a significant cause for not blogging. I’ve been in a quiet place in my thoughts, and after a few days of rest, or rather, a different focus in my evenings, have recognized that it is better that I blog when I have something to say, rather than posting for the sake of consistency.
There is value to self-discipline, to being in a routine and having rhythm to writing. But that’s true with most things in life: order and structure are beneficial to thought, to work, to relationships.
Finding balance is also a goal, and a worthy one. I have no difficulty granting myself down time on vacation, but it’s harder to give that gracefully when I’m at home.
So this is a post about all the things I’ve been doing on my time out. I think there is value here. It’s a reminder that productivity takes many forms. In the past week I:
Attended a 50th birthday dinner
Made dinner for friends
Listened to university lectures on C S Lewis, Winston Churchill, and world history on my iPod
Ran numerous errands, worked, did all my regular chores
Planned upcoming trips
Went for a picnic at the beach
Saw a black bear fishing for salmon at a local fishing spot
Made homemade pizza, shepherd’s pie, and banana pudding
Did some reading on re-balancing at mid-life
Watched the city fireworks display (delayed because the weather for 4th of July was foggy and rainy)
This coming week I plan to write again, and I’ll do other things as well. No one gets to have a single-focused life. We’re all multi-taskers most of the time. But just as a vacation away makes home all the sweeter, so a week off my blog has allowed me to miss it, to miss connecting with other bloggers, to miss having the exercise of creativity in my evening routine.
I want to use my blog to think out loud, to put into a visible form the experiences and beliefs that shape my life. To do that with some regularity is my goal. And so, I commit to it, just as I’ve committed to other choices that I deem important. And to encourage me, to inspire me, I’ll keep these two thoughts before me:
“The difference in who you are and who you want to be is what you do.”
“Self discipline is remembering what you really want.”
www.flylady.net
Grace and Life 
You … did a lot in that week. Think of all your new blogging topics!!
PS — I’ve taken most of the last week off, too, and, like you, I’ve missed my writing and other writers, you included.
Cheers! MJ
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