My Summer Office

I’m lying in my new craigslist hammock. I thought about buying a hammock for 2 years. I thought about it a lot. It made me anxious that I wasn’t doing anything about it–which is ridiculous if you think about it. I finally woke up yesterday and said “Enough! I want a hammock. I’m getting a hammock.” And I did.

I bought it from a nice woman who was moving to NY. It was pretty dirty. I took it home and doused it in all things clean. Then, Andrew figured out how to hang it. And now Dylan is taking a nap inside and I am suspended in hammock yumminess.

I mean– REALLY– when are we cradled like this? Andrew can scoop me up and carry me about. And I love that. But I always think about how heavy I must be and I find it hard to relax. And, yes, a good mattress is nice to sink into. But a hammock holds me and rocks me and I can see through the ropes to the green grass. And I’m suspended above beauty and I’m looking up at a blue sky and I’m trusting that I’m not going to crash to the ground.

I think that’s what is most delicious–the complete abandon necessary to swing in a hammock. Giving it all up and away. Trusting the cradle. Giving up the ground. Giving up the manifesting, sturdy, make it happen ground and offering my relaxed body to an open sky.

For God’s sake, I’m even listening to music as I write this. I NEVER can write and listen at the same time. That’s progress.

And the kids love it. I found Kate out here this morning telling herself little stories, nestled in hammock loveliness.

I think for all cases of grumpiness, anxiety and general life malaise, we should be sent to our hammocks. It’s a hammock time out. It’s hammock therapy. It’s the hammock of no shoulds. It’s the mama hammock. It’s the any time is nap time hammock. It’s the love pouch, swinging bed of trust and surrender.

I here deem this hammock my summer office. You know where to find me.