When first offered the opportunity to take a sabbatical, one would think you would be ecstatic. A full 30 days, paid and I CANNOT interact with work AT ALL?! Wow…who wouldn’t be?!
Well, I can tell you that I was not. I didn’t know what to think, or what to do. I don’t know how to NOT work. And honestly, the thought of reflecting on myself, my relationships, and many other aspects of my life was quite terrifying. Work has a way of keeping one busy, so it’s easy to overlook or ignore the outside world or your inner being. I mean think about it, you spend most of your week at an office, where you’re completing tasks, only to go home after work or on the weekend to tend to other tasks you didn’t get to during the week while at the office. What are you supposed to do for 30 days without miscellaneous tasks, responsibilities, meetings, etc.?!
But despite my fears, anxiety, and the unknown, I chose to take a sabbatical.
I am now on week 3 of 4, and apologize for just now blogging. Never fear, Ray – three (if not more) blogs are coming.
I mentioned that I didn’t know what I would do without work…well, it turns out that I have found plenty to do! I will not bore you with every detail of each day, but instead I will touch on some of the memorable and unexpected moments of my sabbatical (so far).
Week One (& half of two) – traveling
During my first week of sabbatical, I chose to travel. I figured the best way to disconnect was to disengage myself from Abilene. If I hadn’t left Abilene, you might have seen me trolling the office parking lot.
So, on Friday, September 22nd after saying my “goodbye’s” and “see ya in a month”, I took off to Dallas.
I spent the following 12 days visiting with family, friends, and eating WAY too much food (hence a habit I will elaborate on in a later blog). I have three sets of Aunts and Uncles, several friends, and my little sister who currently live in Dallas. Seems like plenty of people to keep me busy, right? Right, but not so right.
I have some very special friends and family that voluntarily took time away from work, to spend time with me – for that I am so thankful and grateful. My first week was SO GREAT! There was sleeping in (if you count until 8am), great company, delicious food, new adventures, shopping, napping…OH MY GOSH NAPPING, just SO MUCH GOOD!
My second week was very different. It finally set in that I couldn’t expect my friends and family to hang out or visit with me at 2:00pm on a Tuesday…they were at work. Just because I was on sabbatical, didn’t mean that everyone else was. Reality set in, I was alone and couldn’t rely on anyone to tell me what to do next, or keep me busy.
Remember, how I said I don’t know how to NOT work…I also don’t know how to NOT do, or go all time. Growing up I always lost the quiet game, and heaven forbid you ask me to be still for five minutes.
As I sat in my Aunt’s bedroom (alone), I began to reflect on myself. I will admit that I tried to avoid this, I scrolled through TV channels, played with my hair, reorganized my suitcase, I even tried to master the ‘smoky eye’ (key word – TRIED), but in the end I still found myself staring out the window watching cars drive by wishing the leaves would change to a brilliant red, all the while analyzing myself.
Without getting too deep, here are a few (okay, several) points I realized about myself (and other things)
- I do not enjoy being alone.
- I cannot do a smoky eye
- I really enjoy cooking. I’m not very good at it, but that’s okay.
- I drive like Danica Patrick in Dallas traffic.
- I love to love.
- I can sleep without a TV on.
- I enjoy visiting with strangers.
- I don’t like pomegranate (at least not in fruit shakes).
- I like deviled eggs.
- French onion soup taste nothing like the dip.
- I am on my own journey. And it’s beautiful
- I love my job.
- I miss my coworkers.
- I enjoy working out (no, that’s not a typo).
- I have separation anxiety (from my dogs).
- I may be too stubborn.
And above all else
- I AM BLESSED.
