Life at a slower pace

Wednesday, September 1

(Photo is of me grinding a chard-type lettuce after it was steamed)

Today, after clinic, we took Brie to the market and bought the ingredients for dinner. After another yummy cooking experience directed by Ruthfirst, Brie and I watched a movie before heading to bed.

While I am excited to return home in a few days and see my friends and family, I am going to miss living life at a slightly slower pace. Many of the demands I have while in the states are on hold while I am here and the amount of time I spend on communication is also far less. I have a cell phone here, but I rarely use it and often forget I have it. Internet access is also something that is limited. Without all the constant demands on my time and attention, I have really been able to relax and sort of recharge. Since there is not much to do at night I usually go to bed around 10pm and am consistently getting 8-9 hours a sleep a night, which is wonderful. It was also nice to read a few books just for fun. I’m finding that with fewer demands I am able to spend more time being fully present rather than constantly having my list of things-to-do running in the back of my mind. I also really value being able to take the time to cook and eat together rather than eating on the go running from one thing to the next. The cooking in addition to getting enough sleep just seems like a healthier way to live.

Random Note: For anyone who was wondering, my pants are fitting much better this week. After the first trip to the grocery store, I was able to come up with some higher calorie meals that were easy and quick to prepare, which has made staying fed much easier!