Doing Nothing

I love the smell of a bookstore. Walking in the double doors of the store the other week, my eyes wandered back and forth as I took in the shelves upon shelves of books, ones I’ve read and have yet to read. I inhaled deeply, as if I were going into Mountain Pose, and let my body take in the smells of all of these delightful books. I walked right past the display of the electronic gadgets that falsely promote themselves as books, and entered deep into the heart of the store. I was looking for a book for my husband’s birthday, and once I found it, strolled in the direction of the checkout counter – only to find myself staring face to face with the “Bargain Books” section. Bad news. While I really didn’t need another book, how could I pass up a bargain?
I set my husband’s book down, and as I began thumbing through the pages of these amazing bargain books, my 18 year-old daughter called me. I told her where I was, and she said, “Mom, step away from the bargain books section.” She knows my love of books and bargains, the two of which together, are a deadly combination. I was able to get her permission to stay for a few more minutes when I told her about the bargain “body and brain” book (she’s studying to be a nurse), and as I flipped through the pages telling her about the brain stems and sleep disorders and ventricles, she said, “OK, only a few more minutes – and don’t forget that my birthday is coming up!” When we hung up I lingered even longer, picking up gems that I’ve wanted to read for a long time, like “A Course in Miracles” for the low bargain price of $10.98, or “How to Develop Self-Confidence and Influence People by Public Speaking,” by Dale Carnegie for a steal of a deal at $6.98. By the end of the excursion, I had picked up a total of six books in addition to my husband’s one, and happily stepped up to the checkout counter.
One of the books in my stack was “The Joy Diet” by Martha Beck. She is a favorite author of mine, because I can totally relate to her. She has a humorous and sarcastic writing style, but she is a busy mom, writer, and loves helping people work through their issues as a coach and counselor. I got into “The Joy Diet” last night, which prompted this writing. The first step in the plan is to take 15 minutes to do nothing – yes, I mean absolutely nothing – each day for a week. It’s only when you can master this for seven days that you can move on to step two. Seems easy when you say it, but doing it is something else entirely. While I like to think that I can “be still and know God” in my prayer, in my yoga practice, and in sections of my daily life, putting it to a timer is something altogether different. I think that’s why I like bookstores so much – it gives me the feeling that I can allow myself to be swept away into “nothingness” for a period of time and get lost in a book, all with the potential of taking my mind and spirit to another level through its pages.
When was the last time you spent 15 minutes doing absolutely nothing? At first it seems like a guilty pleasure, and when you get down to it, it is shockingly difficult! Perhaps give it a try for a week and see how it makes you feel. See if it changes you, quiets your mind, brings you closer to your Creator, makes you a better person. Let me know what happens and I’ll do the same. Until then, I’ll be staying away from the bookstore for awhile.