schedules

Schedules sometimes seem absolutely ridiculous in every way.  How nice would it be to just lose your planner, and therefore, all responsibility for a few days?  No school work, no tests, no jobs, no rushed errands, no timed studying.   Just the simple things like:  taking naps, baking cookies, having real conversations with people, watching a movie with your best friend, knitting a scarf, cloud shape classification, or snow cones.   Those things are the type of things I want to remember and be proud....not upset that I missed because I was too busy.

Don't get me wrong, I love making a to-do list for every day, every week, every month, and slowly marking things off.  It makes me feel good to accomplish this or that.  Especially when it's something big....something important that you've been constantly fretting about.  It's always nice to take care of those things.

But, you know what? All that time spent planning and rushing and moving from one item to the next on my list of life, it's all a big waste.   Why spend such valuable young-healthy-"free"-beautiful-twentyish time on worrying about crossing things off a list.

The couple of times that I've been to the Dominican Republic, I've seen one huge difference in the lives of Dominicans to the lives of Americans.  There is no schedule.  Things happen when they happen and if something's a bit behind schedule, you wait.  And you're patient and happy and spending time having real conversations just waiting.  Everything and everyone is so much more patient and relaxed and trusting that, eventually, everything that needs to be done will get done.  It could be that way because there is less technology....less people with cell phones, less laptops, less cars and alarm clocks.  The pure human abilities are all that is expected: do you're best and get it done as soon as ya can.  How beautiful is that?
In America, there is always a bus to catch, a phone call to make, a person to meet, an interview to survive, an exam to pass, or something somewhere that will help you prove yourself and your ability.  How exhausting this goal-driven, approval-needy way of life is.

Sometimes I just want to ditch the phone, get rid of my laptop and tv and live among people that expect only what you, your smile, and your muscles can give.  The simplicity of that life is gorgeous.  The lack of the latest worldly value is no loss in comparison to the happiness and joy experienced when life is simple.
Simple means rest and relationships and moments that mean something....not restlessness and divorces and forced conversations that are getting in the way of your schedule.
So screw the schedule.  I crave simplicity.