The Lazy South

New York is known for its hustle and bustle. Wherever you go in the city, there are lots of people going this way and that, taking care of business, getting things done, working it. Part of the reason is, most people just can't afford to be lazy in New York. The competition is fierce there, and if you don't step it up, you lose out. When I first moved to New York, I thought I would be overwhelmed by the pace of life, the hordes of people, the thick traffic, the abundance of things to do and see. With so much going on at once, how could one possibly do it all? But I wasn't overwhelmed, I just reveled in the knowledge that with so much out there, I would never be bored or at a loss of what to do. I picked and chose my activities, and packed my days full of work, play, and adventure.

Now here in the South, there is a lot for me to do: wedding stuff. I've got things to sew and bake, things to search for and buy, people to talk to, programs to organize, events to coordinate. There should not be a dull or lazy moment. And yet... in my parents' house, which is comfortable and large and full of food, I feel compelled to laze around in my pajamas and do little more than read a book or play minesweeper on the computer. I don't know what has come over me! If I go outside, the hot sun and languorous garden and trees all around me make me feel like doing nothing more than sitting on the porch swing and eating strawberries and watching and listening to fat bumblebees roll around in gorgeous peony blossoms, and fluffy roses droop like a quilt over the backyard fence. If I go in the backyard, I can't help but lay down by the pool and take a nap, an old and tired dog by my side. Wherever I go--the post office, the grocery store, the bank--I feel like everything is going slow and lazily along. So, I've accomplished nothing, but am having a delightful time not doing it. However, maybe today I will make a list of things to do, and get busy. Or maybe I will just get a bowl of ice cream and eat it in the garden by the pea patch, and watch the chickens hunt for grubs. At least someone is busy.