A Day Off Means…?

My days off are often challenging. All week, I long for some time to do “whatever I want.” And yet, when the day comes, “whatever I want” can be unsatisfying. The chores that I was longing to do during my workweek all of a sudden seem dull and well, like, chores. Sitting on the couch and reading a book for a few hours suddenly seems kind of… passive. Then the kicker is that I long for some good, solid introverted time all week and when my day off comes and I’ve left the schedule blessedly empty… I get lonely! And stir-crazy.

This week, Adam’s been out of town. When I woke up this morning and realized I was facing down the barrel of an empty schedule, I thought: “Uh oh.” And indeed, it’s been a battle against the stir-crazies.

So, I was emailing back and forth with my friend Kara and mentioned this, and asked if she was free for lunch? Dinner? Well, no, but she invited me to join her church’s youth group tonight to see “The Hunger Games” across town. They have an extra ticket. And I’m torn. Because it sounds like an adventure, but also… well, she invited me to join her church’s youth group, to see “The Hunger Games,” across town.

Let me unpack this for you.

1. Day Off. That’s supposed to mean no church activities!

2. Church youth group. I have a lot of affection for the kids at my church, but it’s not an age I feel totally at ease with. (And did I mention it was my day off?)  And hey, most adults would not choose time with teenagers as a way to unwind after a long week.

3. “The Hunger Games.”  In the rosy recesses of my mind, a day off is a day of reverie, ease, and creativity. Watching kids kill each other in a dystopian future? Doesn’t quite fit the bill.

4. Across town. Remember what I said about ease and reverie? Driving across Chicago just sounds like a lot of work.

But maybe I need to take another look at this idea of reverie and ease. Maybe that’s NOT what I need in a day off, after all. (I won’t write off the creativity just yet.) Maybe I need to have a few more adventures? So, I’m going to go. Drive across town. See “The Hunger Games.” Join the church youth group.

I’ll let you know how it goes.