The Concept of Rest

I just took a nap. Whoa.

Like many currently alive human beings, I tend to behave as if I’m a human doing rather than a human being (this clever label is not original with me—I thank one of the many Buddhist writings I’ve dipped into over the last ten years for this synonym for a typical contemporary homo sapiens).

The King schoolyard. Photo time-stamped 6:22 am, September 1, 2011.

Yesterday I ran over to the King Middle School track before breakfast and did three Yasso 800s before running home again. I’m working up to ten, but three was all I had time for. I wanted to do some track work and to make my workout fit into my training regimen for this week, which will take me to a 22-mile total and include a long run of 11 miles.

I bring this up not to humble brag (much) but as an indicator of my tendency to take an increasingly demanding running schedule seriously. Problem is, I also take an increasingly ambitious work schedule seriously (job in the city! proofreading a book! copy editing another book! writing a newsletter article!). I'm not saying I'm special—I don't believe I'm at all unusual in having only two settings: on and off. It means I'm like millions of other folks—just always tired and unable to pause long enough to figure out why.

So today, the nap. I worked from home this morning so I could meet with Dr. Jess midday for a hip-pummeling session and then take the afternoon “off”—that is, get some more work done in the latter part of the day.

I once knew a guy who said to me, “You don’t chill well, do you.” Well, no kidding. But today, for a change, I chilled. I'm mighty proud, and even a bit rested.

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