Tired
the REST of the week #113
It’s the rest of the week. Are you tired?
Do any of us get to the end of a week without some tiredness?
Sometimes we just have to push through because we still can and the circumstances call for it.
But what happens when pushing through becomes our normal? When someone asks how we are and “tired” is a natural response?
It’s good to notice tired. To name it and acknowledge that it’s not normal or healthy—even if there doesn’t seem to be anything we can do about it right now. Even if we don’t think we’re ready to do something different.
The time will come when we are so tired of being tired that we will shift. We will take steps in another direction.
In the meantime, we’ll stay aware and call tired for what it is. And by staying aware, we will make little shifts here and there that amount to directional changes that change our course so that operating from a place of rest becomes our normal.
This past week, Ricardo and I turned 26 years old as a married couple. We had settled on driving to the mountains and hiking, but on the eve of our big day, we lay in bed undecided. This weekend Ricardo’s responsibilities are on the other side of the state and we weren’t sure about the hours of driving.
We have been in “push through” mode—for example, Ricardo’s work responsibilities have involved driving over 4,000 miles this past month.
“I just want to unplug and be fully present and experience the significance of the day,” I said, “but I’m not sure just going somewhere, some external thing, is going to accomplish that.”
(Kind of like cramming last minute for an exam might work for getting a good grade, but not great for mastering the material.)
“We’re tired.” Ricardo said.
Bingo! He nailed it. Immediately I felt like we had permission to just stay home and rest—which we did, and it was wonderful.
It’s also a good thing because on our way home from the weekend travels, our car broke down. More on that next week.
May your rest be sweet.
Alicia