I used to believe that luxury meant jaunting off to the Mediterranean for a month or sailing around the world for a year–something dramatic and jaw-dropping. After being part of the workforce full-time for a little over 7 years now, however, I have a completely new definition of the word.
This morning I woke still tired from the week’s work. I spent five consecutive days grading 7th grade personal narratives and teaching and staying late to get it all done. Today I chose to skip my swimming class guilt-free and waken at 8:30 instead of my usually 7:30am. Today I chose to make a simple breakfast of a slice of Canadian bacon and a fried egg. I plopped down in front of my television and chose an indie flick with Kristen Wiig in it from my Fios On Demand. I watched completely free of responsibility, swaddled by the sunlight that poured in through our many windows.
The film had a simple plot line about a writer who lost her way and, thanks to a few dramatic incidents. found it again. I watched and soaked in the usual angst that comes with indie features, content–free of all the anxiety that comes with the end of the quarter and getting grades in on time. I spend so much time working so hard and thinking about all the work that needs to get done. When will I write another blog? When will I have time to work on my novel? When will I ever finish grading everything I should be grading? So much of my time is spent asking when and how that I the thought of luxury can get pretty depressing. It can feel as far away from me as the horizon itself.
This morning, however, I realized that luxury doesn’t have to be this large-scale, dramatic vacation that you can brag to everyone about. Sometimes luxury is a short two hours filled with simple, listless activity.
