The Alternative Spirit

Not having a job any more (I refuse to use the word retired) brings many opportunities – time to travel, time to visit with friends, time to read. Time. While having more of that commodity would seem like a good thing, I have realized that it can be a big problem. I find that I wait to do lots of things till…the spirit moves me!

This is nothing like putting things off till tomorrow; this is having the privilege of deciding that whatever the chore is just isn’t what I want to do today. Some would say that’s the point of not having to go to work every day, where you completed tasks whether you wanted to or not. And isn’t it likely that you did them with no spirit at all, thereby not as well, perhaps, as if that spirit had moved you to do them? Sure, a paycheck is a great motivator, but where’s the spirit?

So now I have completed one year of not having a job. Winter was kind of like having a job though; you do what you have to do to retain your sanity during those dark cold days. No spirit involved there, that’s for sure.

Now summer has arrived and, as I am sure you are aware, the number of chores outside grows exponentially with the degrees on the thermometer. Each morning I mentally review the list of things that need to be done and decide which one(s) the spirit feels inclined to tackle. Self-discipline aside, it could be something I actually like to do, such as climbing on the ol’ John Deere and cutting the grass.

Well, that was a short list. See, that’s the problem; it’s always the details that sink to the bottom of the list, like pruning and pulling grass out of the cracks in the sidewalk. Right now both of those things need to be done. And, there are trees growing up through the azaleas, ivy climbing over the porch and up the apple tree, and honeysuckle trying to cover the lilac bush.

What is this spirit I sit here and wait to feel? As a matter of fact, where is it? By now, I admit, my spirit is lacking, so I found someone to give my spirit a kick in the seat of the pants. It’s impossible for me to sit by and watch work being done in my yard; I must get up and pitch in. Some things I reserve for my spirit only, but these days the alternative spirit is doing a heck of a job.