Repetition

There is something relaxing about doing repetitive tasks. My first real job was as a keypunch operator (now I'm definitely dating myself!) and I found that I was good at it, and I enjoyed it immensely. The opportunity to tune out everything around me, and take journeys in my mind while I worked through a batch of keypunching was very appealing.

I find a similar kind of satisfaction when I am making a quilt. I am a machine quilter and I find that the repetition of cutting and piecing puts me in a state of mind that is completely relaxed. In that space I find a perfect time to pray for the individual that I am making the quilt for, and to reflect upon different things in the life of that person.

Recently I found myself immersed in a large and repetitive task at work. While others in the same situation complained about the work before us, I found it an opportunity to put myself in neutral and to allow my mind to wander.

This kind of thing refreshes me. I remember things and that I had previously forgotten, I plan things that I want to do in the coming weeks, I reminisce about friends and family in in the past.

Alas, too soon the work was done and I was back in the real work world where I have to engage my mind and bring my full self to the table. The brief respite was kind of nice though. Despite the ache in my shoulder I came to the end of the day feeling that I had accomplished something and to top it all off....I had had a great introspective time.

What could be better!