The Proof Is In the Practice

A Sunday well spent brings a week of content... 
or so the saying goes.

I love Sundays.  There is a spaciousness around Sundays that is similar to the enthusiasm I feel on Friday nights when I imagine I have an unscheduled weekend ahead of me.  By Saturday morning, several plans have already taken shape, some without my input and some simply because I've  postponed certain tasks all week.

I'm not sure why I think I will want to do my taxes or the laundry or organize my office or pick up dog doo on Saturday or Sunday more than any other day.  Somehow convincing myself I'll have more time over the weekend eases the guilt of not doing it after a long day at the office.

The awareness that I'm not on the clock allows me to ease into the day and tackle the neglected stuff a little bit at a time on the weekends.  Still, I'm acutely aware that the clock is ticking and I could be wasting daylight by taking a nap, reading a book, downloading some new tunes, or talking to friends and family for hours on the phone.  But it's these little luxuries I allow myself on the weekends that get me through the week that awaits. 

I've learned that sometimes I have to live with things and let ideas incubate for awhile before I know how to proceed. Yes, I need to find a place for the displaced items in my kitchen now, but the real aha moments may come months later when I figure out the beaters and the blender need to swap storage space in order for all the gadgets, gizmos, and utensils to work in unison.

I figure things out not just by doing, but re-doing.  Getting frustrated or irritated over how long it takes or how many do-overs are required only adds to the problem. 

The best way for me to frame any challenge is to look at it as a practice.  I look at my writing as a practice.  I look at my exercise program as a practice.  I look at my management style as a practice. I look at relationships as a practice. I look at my spiritual journey as a practice.

I can always get better.  But only if I don't fall into the trap that I should know this already.

So here it is, Sunday evening and several projects remain unfinished.  But the small things I did accomplish with attention and appreciation will help me go into this week a little more refreshed and relaxed.

Six word summaries:  The practice matters.  Forget making perfect.

The proof is in the practice.