Dear Reader: I hope you give yourself a break now and then. You work hard. Life calls on you to do so many things. I know. I had a busy day, even though, yeah, I'm a philosopher, so keep that in mind. Nonetheless, a lot's going on this week. So I gave myself an hour this evening to just relax.
I sat out back on our upper patio. The lower patio adjoins a raised brick fish pond. From where I was, I could look down on it, and the great trees all around. I sat on a thickly cushioned chair, put my feet up on another one, and lit up a nice Nicaraguan cigar. I poured a small glass of Macallan 12 year single malt. And I just enjoyed my little piece of our beautiful world.
During the hour, three pairs of ducks flew over, honking goodbye to the day. I watched an industrious squirrel work on a truly impressive nest, high up in a tall magnolia tree. One of his friends chirped encouragement.
It was 82 degrees today with low humidity here at the coast. As the evening cooled, I watched pink and orange streak the bright blue sky above me. I enjoyed the solitude immensely, but also wished I had one of our periodic retreats going on and I could share the moment, and the goodies, with some brother and sister philosophers. I imagined us out on the deck of the nearby resort where we hold our sessions, overlooking the whitecaps of the ocean rolling in to lightly touch the broad sandy beach.
Don't forget to do something now and then to elicit those brain waves that make for transcendent rest and relaxation. I don't light up a cigar very often, or sip a malted beverage. But when I do, it's a special occasion. Give yourself your own version soon.