Friday, August 26, 2011

Mindless Routines

There are days when everything just sails along smoothly, and all of my plans fall into place as expected. Today wasn't one of those days.

There are days that don't go according to the original plan, and little course corrections along the way keep me on track. Today wasn't one of those days, either.

There are days in which little deviations from familiar paths throw me off because I am following my routines rather than actually thinking complete thoughts. Today was definitely one of those days.

Because I allowed my attention to drift too much away from the routine moments of this day, I couldn't find a gas station, lacked the wherewithal to open the gas cap, left my laptop in the rental car when I returned it, didn't notice the missing computer for three hours, neglected to arrange adequate transportation for an appointment, and more.

Routines can be wonderful, allowing greater focus on ideas, relationships, and interactions rather than devoting much more thought to everyday tasks. Still, when I allow even good habits to replace attention in the moment, I usually wind up tripping over whatever itty-bitty little stumbling blocks present themselves.

I am hopeful this evening for the nightly routine of sleep -- ultimately demanded by our bodies, and also a welcome gift. It is opportunity to reboot my mind, reorient my soul, and start fresh tomorrow.

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