I've been going out of my skull a bit recently and it's only now that I have realised the extent of how stressed I was. Last week was pretty demanding, physically and emotionally. Physically because not only did I do a gym session on Monday, but also badminton with Beverley on Wednesday, tap on Thursday and a wonderful hike around Clydach Gorge on Sunday - five hours of walking, but it was so worth it. (And gave me ample opportunity for photography!).
Emotionally because of ongoing sagas concerning the sale of dad's house. (Don't get me started...) In fact last Friday afternoon was just one exhausting exchange of phone calls, emails etc, trying to sort a problem that has arisen with the property. Luckily, I had already arranged with my friend Jonathan for some reiki and crystal therapy that evening, and man, was it never more needed. With the amount of fraught energy that was emitting from my being that evening, I'm surprised the crystals didn't spontaneously shatter from absorbing it all. But the evening put me back on track again; the therapy combined with the company of Jonathan (who has been a good friend since I met him in 2000) calmed my soul.
[and I believe it's worth plugging his website again here - Greenfield Therapy]
But this week I've been on a bit of a downer - apart from Monday when my friend Kath and I went for afternoon tea at The Washington Gallery in Penarth; what a lark that was! (And great to catch up with her too - we only really get to see each other about once a year).
Aside from this, I found myself unable to focus properly apart from on immediate mundane activities (such as work - ugh). I felt bereft of creativity and the more I dwelt on this, the more frustrated I became. There was a nagging feeling that things needed to be done, accomplishments to be made, preciously life slipping away unlived. Basically my mind was a mess and had to be silenced with large quantities of cheap vodka. That only worked to a certain extent - next day I'd be back to square one, accompanied by an alcohol-induced pain ripping through my head.
What was to be done? Only one thing for it really - to put the brakes on. And chill out.
So that it's what I am doing today - putting some time aside for myself. As the landlord is in Vietnam for the fortnight, the house in Roath is quiet and I have it all to myself. So I have ensconced myself in the bright conservatory, overlooking the small secluded garden, and settled in to do nothing but read all day. I'm currently engrossed in Anne Rice's pulpy but enjoyable 'The Wolf Gift', with the strains of Rameau's harpsichord music gently tinkering in the background. And it is working - I feel more relaxed and at ease than I have done for what seems like forever. I've stopped worrying about the creative hiatus - that will follow when it is ready.
So the moral is - whenever you're stressed out, put the brakes and take some time out. With a good book, it seems. Or not so good - heck, any book as long as it's engrossing.
My only concession to the above is taking the time out to write this. And to have a Fray Bentos Chicken and Mushroom pie for lunch. But then it's back to The Wolf Gift....
Oh and here is the Afternoon Tea that Kath and I partook of.... classy, aint we!
