What would you do if you had time to think?

A recent ad campaign for an educational program at my work asked: “What would you do if you had time to think?”

I now find myself faced with that same question, as I enjoy some time off before starting a new job on  July 1st. Faced with the luxury of time, laid out before me in all its splendor, I do what any sane person would do, I write lists.

First, a list of jobs I have been putting off – many of which I intended to do when I was on maternity leave almost a year ago, but obviously never got around to, as I underestimated the whole ‘maternity’ factor of the maternity leave.

My initial list looked something like this:
1. Fix damp in bathroom
2. Buy plants at nursery
3. Sweep garden and clean balcony floor
4. Make photo albums of last year
5. Frame pictures that have been sitting around for more than a year
7. Swim, blog, photograph, cook,visit friends on maternity leave
9. Buy iron and ironing board. Iron (!)

I won’t bore you with the whole list but it goes into the double digits.

Obviously, this list is a dynamic thing, it grows and shrinks as time passes, and is decorated with scribbled annotations and afterthoughts such as, ‘Buy tomatoes!’ and ‘Call Grandma!’. Then of course it gets too messy and a neat version must be written.

I don’t want this time to be too busy. I want to be productive (my life obsession) and tick things off my list but I also just want time to read, take my baby out for fun days, gather my thoughts, and prepare myself mentally and emotionally for this next phase in my career.

I was mulling this over today when out walking. Several times a week, I stride down an avenue lined with trees which shed plump pink flowers. Every day, a different tree shrugs its shoulders, and with a sigh, allows its flowers to drift off in the wind. This delicate shedding creates a carpet of striking pink flowers on grey pavement, which I always try to avoid stepping on. Within a day, the flowers lose their former perfection, turn an unattractive shade of brown, and are swept up by a friendly municipal worker. He must hate those trees and their magic carpet-weaving abilities.

I always want to photograph the flower-carpets, but I have to keep pounding the streets, and obviously, don’t bring a camera with me when power walking. ‘One day’, I repeatedly threaten myself, ‘I’m going to come back and take pictures.’

Today, the same thought went through my head, until I realized today I could do it, I had the time. So I rushed home, got my camera and took some beautiful pictures. For moments like these, I am extremely thankful.

So, I’m fascinated – what would you do if you had time to think?

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