stillness

I am opening the office two days this week. Today I am here from 8 till 10 alone. And, since it is between terms, and it's early, I am all alone. All the to-dos are done. No customers on the horizon. After I finish this blog, I'll have to start making up work to keep from gnawing my own arm in boredom. And yet . .

The stillness. The gentle hushhhh of AC which is set for many more people and lots more computer activity. The omnipresent background hum of all these computers turned on and ready for business . . It has a serenity, a peace, a mmm-what? What to call this pleasant enjoyment of not having anything that needs to be done at the moment ? ("Clean the cat boxes" quacks the inner critic, but I have to be here, just in case someone DOES show up, so I can ignore the catboxes at home completely guilt-free.) This feels like a vacation. the stress-muscles across my shoulders are releasing their burdens. The cricks in my neck are unwinding. People will show up and need help soon enough. Why, before I know it, the pre-registration madness will begin, and I'll have entire days when I don't sit down because I'm flying from one customer to the next, setting up placement tests and make-up tests and distance-learning tests and pesticide tests and tax boards, but today, right now, I can sit still and close my eyes a minute and listen to the - relative -silence. Relish while you can, the lull between the storms.