Luxurious Saturday
Old and good friends who had moved out of the city, returned for a weekend trip. Although nearly a year since they left, it felt like not too long ago. This is a couple that are very comfortable to be with, who have an enjoyment for life without needing active stimulation.
They were staying at another friends home - people who are also relaxed. We were all invited over for an afternoon poori potato session, reminiscent of carefree student days when we could afford to fritter away weekend days on good food and camaraderie. We have had such days with this couple before when they lived in the city - the last one being a marathon session of monopoly at their house one rainy Saturday. I had always been cognizant of the fact that such unhurried time was rare and precious & believed that it would really not be possible after having a child.
Several happy people gathered & childcare, cooking & cleaning managed to get divvied up in very comfortable ways. Everyone seemed to enjoy their task or transition comfortably into relaxation or another task. No tempers, no anxieties, no expectations - just a very comfortable all-day chill out session, enjoying the weather, enjoying each other. .
Having arriving there just afternoon, we didn't leave until 10pm. Lunch was heavy, so we were all happy with a single dish vat for dinner, and all happy to just hang out with no "scheduled activity". I suppose this is what psychologists would call "adult free play".
It was a relaxed day, the kind that I never expected to have after children leave alone with a 3 week old baby. Even without them, life is already filled with many chores that need to be done around the house & I imagine with them house chores become all the more demanding. Long weekends are often spent traveling (at least for me, since the pre-parent logistics of traveling have always been too convenient to pass up). So having a long weekend meant that there was an extra day to get those chores done and that one day could easily be spent luxuriating in the company of good friends and simply "being".
Such days of leisured luxury made possible by vast numbers of people brings visions of happy days in Indian joint families where this may have been a common norm. It takes a gathering of people who are happy, secure, comfortable in their skin, respectful of each other and enjoy life.
Some years ago, friends of ours driving cross country stopped by to visit us and we had a similar type of day. A good heavy meal to start the day, following by basking in the post-prandial chatting and being. I wonder if these are precipitated more easily when out of towners visits without an agenda.
I'm grateful to our hosts for their part in creating such a wonderful day. In time I hope that I can relax my OCD self enough to be such a host and create many more such opportunities.
They were staying at another friends home - people who are also relaxed. We were all invited over for an afternoon poori potato session, reminiscent of carefree student days when we could afford to fritter away weekend days on good food and camaraderie. We have had such days with this couple before when they lived in the city - the last one being a marathon session of monopoly at their house one rainy Saturday. I had always been cognizant of the fact that such unhurried time was rare and precious & believed that it would really not be possible after having a child.
Several happy people gathered & childcare, cooking & cleaning managed to get divvied up in very comfortable ways. Everyone seemed to enjoy their task or transition comfortably into relaxation or another task. No tempers, no anxieties, no expectations - just a very comfortable all-day chill out session, enjoying the weather, enjoying each other. .
Having arriving there just afternoon, we didn't leave until 10pm. Lunch was heavy, so we were all happy with a single dish vat for dinner, and all happy to just hang out with no "scheduled activity". I suppose this is what psychologists would call "adult free play".
It was a relaxed day, the kind that I never expected to have after children leave alone with a 3 week old baby. Even without them, life is already filled with many chores that need to be done around the house & I imagine with them house chores become all the more demanding. Long weekends are often spent traveling (at least for me, since the pre-parent logistics of traveling have always been too convenient to pass up). So having a long weekend meant that there was an extra day to get those chores done and that one day could easily be spent luxuriating in the company of good friends and simply "being".
Such days of leisured luxury made possible by vast numbers of people brings visions of happy days in Indian joint families where this may have been a common norm. It takes a gathering of people who are happy, secure, comfortable in their skin, respectful of each other and enjoy life.
Some years ago, friends of ours driving cross country stopped by to visit us and we had a similar type of day. A good heavy meal to start the day, following by basking in the post-prandial chatting and being. I wonder if these are precipitated more easily when out of towners visits without an agenda.
I'm grateful to our hosts for their part in creating such a wonderful day. In time I hope that I can relax my OCD self enough to be such a host and create many more such opportunities.