Lull Between the Storms

My next big deadline!! Bring it on!!

The past several weeks have been a real whirlwind of activity, including lots of work meetings, Wonderful Wednesday and Saturday playgroup gatherings, writing assignments, etc. Oh, and hosting writer’s group on Friday! Why not? It all culminated in this morning’s children-and-youth-led worship service at church, a recipe for pandemonium as kindergarteners were the greeters, 1st and 2nd grade were the ushers, 3-4-5 graders read prayers and lessons, 6th and 7th assisted with Communion, and Confirmation kids performed a skit based on one of the readings. I tend to be a last-minute type of gal, but I set a new record even for me, as I was finishing writing the skit as late as 8 AM (for a 10:30 service).

Anyhow, it’s all over, and it all went really well. I walked in my door about two hours ago, and was immediately hit by the “now what?”s. The rest of my Sunday is totally unbooked. Nothing special to prepare for work tomorrow. Are there things I could be doing this afternoon? But of course!! I joked at the start of this grand blogging experiment that I would be willing to sacrifice doing housework and laundry for the duration. That has turned out NOT to be a joke, but my disdain for said endeavors is so intense that I don’t want to do them today (when I have time) either.

Minus pressing domestic chores, with no immediate literary fires to put out, I am more than a bit adrift. I know this is the lull between the storms, what with Thanksgiving looming in a few days, and I should be able to just relax and enjoy the break. So why am I feeling lost?

Years ago, I played the role of Lucy in the musical, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” (and no snarky comments please, I get the resemblance between us). It’s a great little show, and one of my favorite numbers featured the cast stressing over writing a 100 word book report on “Peter Rabbit.” (“The name of the book about which/this book report is about, is/ “Peter Rabbit”, which is about this/Rabbit.”) Listening to it again today made me realize something: without a deadline (preferably an absurd deadline) I am unmoored. Give me the impossible goal, and I will do my darnedest to meet it. But I do so poorly when left to my own devices. I flit around the house aimlessly, unable to feel good about my time off.

Wish I could wrap this up with an epiphany, along the lines of: “in the silence, I finally found inner peace” or “Today, I learned the value of a good nap.” Instead, I will leave you with this image: a woman who has decided that the lull between the storms must be bridged, somehow. A woman who suddenly has 15 cookbooks spread out, opened, on the dining room table, plotting an elaborate Turkey Day menu. A woman (me) who is revved up again—and with another impossible goal! Yay!!!