Rhythms

Eleri jumped seamlessly, no special notice the piles of hay in her way, except the leap that interrupted her rhythm. Every morning she was up with the crack of dawn, ready to go for her walk. Every morning she ran, so at other times she could rest and eat. The gate of her legs spread, pounding the ground in a musical speed. Her tail wagged delight.

            Animals are fascinating creatures. They have this rhythm to life. Hunt, eat, play, sleep. Hunt, eat, play, sleep. Rinse, repeat  Animals already know a basic tenant of life we humans miss. Life comes with a beat, but it also comes with the ups and downs of rhythms. Work is a glorified element of life in American culture. Or laziness is glorified. And, we’ve missed the beauty of the ups and downs of work time and rest time.

            Mondays can be beautiful because it is a chance to begin a week of putting life back into the world, whether it be through work at an office, personal work at home with children, or in construction or landscaping. The work we do with our minds and hands is not only needed to bring food onto the table, but to connect to a greater purpose of being alive, contributing to society so-to-speak.

            Fridays too are wonderful. Learning to put on the breaks is so difficult, whether it be a real Friday or a “Friday” set because the next day is rest, the slowing down to transition from work to personal life can be difficult to find.

            The trick is learning to find what works for us, and feeling the rhythm, because so often we can feel constantly one step behind. Is it the moment you start your car, feeling a heart beat quicken before driving to work? Do you feel the transition? Is the time you open the front door? Are you bombarded by family or pets? Is it quiet and still? Notice the pictures on your wall, or lack there-of. What makes the home yours? Take it in, and see.

            Finding a rhythm may simply mean putting a name to what’s there. Or, it may be seeking to make a new one.  Already, inside our weeks, each of us have little methods that work to go up and down in energy for the day. Some watch movies at night. Some go for an evening walk. Some have family dinners.  What can you build on? Do you need exercise or more sleep? Do you slow down before you go to bed? Do you feel safe at home or still on edge? What do you need? Sometimes, that may be the first step—naming the rhythm, naming a need for more of a specific something in that rhythm.

            What works so far for you?