Sometime in the middle of the university exam period, as I settled into my study nest (complete with chocolate and hot tea), and had this wonderful realization: I am happiest when I'm at my desk, reading, learning and writing. Every once in a while I would get up from my desk and walk through Seaton Park. I took a break to put a pot of quinoa on the stove, take out the trash, vacuum, or change over a load of laundry.
With each break and study page, I had this growing feeling of rest, and a deepening sense that I was slipping into a healthy, sweet rhythm of working and breathing.
The messy balancing act of work and rest has been one of my greatest personal struggles. Honestly, I came to Scotland to figure it out. Why I thought changing countries would help me figure out how to manage stress and balance rest with work is still a mystery to me, but at the end of this 5+ month process, I can finally say that I've found some sort of balance.
The secret? I don't know. I'm still trying to figure it out. But it certainly helps that I love the "work" part as much as I love the resting.
I confess that though I'm entering this summer with a great deal of excitement, I'm also walking in with a lot of uneasiness and a little bit of fear. I'm new to this research game, and I haven't exactly chosen to start small. Throughout this term I've flirted with it, shuffling through old notes, jotting down new ones, and reading in short spurts. Last week after exams, and this week in Edinburgh, I sat down to seriously look at what I have so far, and as I separated the pieces into sections, I began to feel genuine excitement for this project.
But I'm just as excited for my Memphis summer balancing act "resting" pieces: yoga, coffee dates, walks by the River, Shelby Farms, and Overton Park, cooking nights with friends, farmers market wandering, and feeding this growing love affair with blues music.
See you in a week, Memphis.
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