Friday, July 21, 2006

Mama Says Om - Relax

This week, the theme at Mama Says Om is "relax":

It's all about being (and hanging) loose. Relax is an intransitive verb rooted in the Middle English relaxen, which in turn springs from the Old French relaxer, thence from the Latin relaxare (to loosen).

On any day of the year at all, relax means a walk in the woods in Lanark with Cassie among the big trees and the old rocks. On a hot summer's day, it's also a comfortable perch in a striped sling chair near Dalhousie Lake or the Tay River, wearing my favourite old straw hat, barefoot in baggy cotton garb of some sort and holding a good book and a big mug of tea.

The sound of the waves stills my thoughts until they flow along like a deep quiet river. The presence of the calm water relaxes me until I am just a gnarly assemblage of loosely strung together and definitely over-the-hill body parts breathing in and out easily on the shoreline. At such times, I would be happy to rest at the water's edge until it freezes over and the snow flies again.

7 comments:

Lené Gary said...

Your words resonate with me in a way that I, too, feel like I am sitting by the water's edge in a striped sling chair sipping tea. I didn't realize how much I needed "just that" today. Thank you.

Lyrically speaking said...

Awwwwwwwwww...like music to my ears, yes, we all need that kind of seclusion sometimes, to be able to relax. I am in need of a vacation, great post.

Jennifer S. said...

great photo, looks very, very relaxing indeed!

Elaine said...

Hey Cate! Thanks for contributing over at MSO! Just a reminder to only post static links (such as http://kerrdelune.blogspot.com/2006/07/mama-says-om-relax.html rather than http://kerrdelune.blogspot.com/ ) whe you submit your contribution. I fixed it for you this time, but it's much easier for me to delete and have you resubmit.

marisa said...

Love the photo... I wish I was there RELAXING

Pam in Tucson said...

Hope you're hanging loose this weekend. I'll live the relaxation vicariously through the matching cool blue-greens of the lake and the chairs, imagining you out there - baggy clothes and all, reading and drinking a mug of tea. It's too hot for us to even attempt to venture out in our blazing sun. Relaxation time comes early and briefly in the morning for us at this time of the year with a morning cuppa on the patio, watching the birds scramble for seed or dip for water or nectar. Otherwise we hide inside with a/c (necessary but deplorable) and cold water and wait for darkness.

Shelley said...

Cate, this is a beautiful photo... I love the implied companionship of SHARED relaxation. Thank you.