Closed on Sunday

I went for a walk this morning, all by myself and as I meandered through the still undiscovered streets of our semi-new neighborhood, I was struck with the ordinariness of Sunday morning. I saw kids playing in yards, men tinkering in garages, a yard-sale here and there. I was struck at home normal this all seemed, amidst all the striving and doing and planning that seems to occupy my mind the rest of the time.

And when I arrived at the border between residential and commercial I realized that everything was closed. Not just closed in the morning, but closed on Sunday.

Closed on Sunday.

Closed on Sunday.

I don't know why I am so struck by this - I have often recollected my summer's with my grand-ma in Germany where closed on Sunday and by 1pm on Saturday and 6pm on the weekdays was totally normal. But somehow here, where everything seems accessible all the time, I find it harder to put the doing aside and reserve time for reflection.

Being self-employed and being married to someone who is self-employed also makes the border between off-work and there is always more you could do very blurry. I think that is why it is so important to set clear distinctions and priorities. We do not go to church on Sundays though we have adapted a Sunday evening community meditation ritual that one of us usually gets to go to. I suppose that is part of creating a day of contemplation, rest and non-doing. But I wonder what else I could do to save this one day a week for activities that are only nourishing, rejuvenating and restful.

I will start with Sunday as an email, computer based project and laundry free day. Next week.

Is there anything you would like to do to start Closed on Sunday at your house?