Intervals of Leisure

I just returned from a trip to Cuba. It was a wonderful week, spent with my intrepid mom. We had trips to Havana and Trinidad and water falls and museums, and we had many "intervals of leisure" (Eva Hoffman, author of How to be Bored.

I came home extremely rested. Initially, I attributed it to having a chance to slow down, without kids, to swim and read. However, shortly after my return, I heard this interview with Eva Hoffman,
Finding meaning in doing nothing, on Spark, CBC. She talks about the importance of reserving "intervals of leisure" unconnected to email/devises to reflect and be introspective. "The value of an experience can increase" when we are not bombarded by electronic stimulus, allowing us to "dip into our memories and make connections" and this was the beauty of my time in Cuba.

Now, a few days and several emails and instagram posts later, I do notice a difference. My extremely rested brain was previously so dehydrated by scrolling that it failed to be as curious and alert as it could be.

Cuba, if you didn't know, is a very good place to disconnect because no matter how much you might want to check email or messages, it is extremely difficult to do so. It is available, but expensive and limited. Perfect conditions for rehydrating my thirst for questions instead of feeding the hunger for never ending answers.

Comments

I entered August without you.

I won't visit you this month. You won't call. I will raid your garden and you won't get any of the vegetables. I will make plans without telling you about them. We'll go to the store and not buy you one single thing. Whole books will be read and I will not tell you which ones. I will watch movies and not inform you. The nasturiums will ripen. Last month was different. I changed my schedule and took time off work to be with you. I dropped all kinds of plans for us to be together. You sent me messages, I received them. I picked up food that I thought you would like at the store and sent you pictures of every beautiful thing I saw. I sang with you. We watched the Great Canadian Baking Show. You chose the recipe for the garlic scape pesto and gave me instructions for making the gooseberry jam. I am in August without you. You are in July.

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