I ran across this quote today:

“From time to time, to remind ourselves to relax and be peaceful, we may wish to set aside some time for a retreat, a day of mindfulness, when we can walk slowly, smile, drink tea with a friend, enjoy being together as if we are the happiest people on Earth.”
~~ Thich Nhat Hanh, Being Peace

And I got this mental image of what that would be like.  It’s been several years since i’ve  taken a few days to go away for a bit, alone, to just be.

So I was thinking I’d do that after I retire in July, only I thought instead of going away, maybe I’d just set aside a day here.

I imagine what that would look like.

I get up in the morning and don’t turn on the computer.  The house is in good order, and I make some special tea to start the day.  Or coffee, fresh ground, with frothy milk, of course.

I fix a special meal, with pretty colors.  Tomatoes.  Tomatoes with olive oil and a little basil.  Corn on the cob.  Or squash.  Zucchini and squash.  Maybe a salad.  A little bit of some whole wheat bread.

I invite a friend, and we eat slowly, turning our attention from the food to each other and back again.

When we finish, I wash the dishes, slowly by hand.   I attend to each moment of the experience ~ my hands in the soapy water, the weight of each dish.  I let my friend dry them, with gentle care.

Maybe we go for a walk.  Not a brisk, exercise kind of walk, but a gentle stroll.  We  walk as if our feet are kissing the ground.  Aware of the sky, the air, the grass and trees, the sidewalk.  Aware of it all.

I spend some time writing.  Not at the computer ~ where  facebook and email pop up.

No.

I write poetry.  By hand.  In my really cool notebook with sparkly unicorns.  It may be bad poetry, but I like it.

The day stretches before me, full of promise and invitation.  I think there is music.  And dance.

I wear something flowing and fun.  Something that moves with me, something that swirls and swishes.

I smile often.

When I slide into bed, I feel clean sheets against my skin, fresh and cool.  I stretch, and feel my body relax completely.  I fall asleep easily, and wake refreshed.

It’s a nice vision.  All I need to do now is pick a day…