We were facing a very severe hurricane, and everything was being shut down. Hurricane Milton was to hit us on a Wednesday night.
Because we were in the center of where that storm was supposed to come, we weren’t allowed to get out and drive on the streets.
I knew that I had to finish all my work by Tuesday. I had radio programs to record and write my syndicated newspaper column.
With due diligence, I got everything done by Tuesday afternoon. We still had electricity, so I was able to email my radio programs, and newspaper column. I was afraid that if I had waited for my normal routine, we would have lost electricity at the least, and I would not have been able to get it all done.
I’ve never done something like this before, but I did all my week’s work on Monday and Tuesday. When I woke up Wednesday morning, I realized that I had nothing to do.
All of the work for the week already had been finished, and I had nothing more to do.
Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I’m the kind of person that likes to work every day.
I go to my office every day and work and work and work. That’s my MO. I like nothing better than working.
Now, I had the rest of the week with nothing to do. I suppose I could’ve continued working on one of my writing projects or read some books, but I had a little butterfly thought floating in my head.
What would it be like if I had nothing to do?
The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, wife Martha, was busy with her projects in her craft room. Even if the electricity went out, she had something to do.
What if I just spent the next three days doing nothing? At one time, that would’ve been a terrible thought for me. But now I’m beginning to like it.
As I was planning my “Nothing Days,” I realized I couldn’t think because that would be something. Oh boy, it’s hard work to do nothing.
When I got up Wednesday morning, it started to rain, and there was a wind outside, so I decided to wear my pajamas all day. If I’d changed into my daily pants and shirt, that would’ve been doing something, and I didn’t want to do anything.
I walked out to the kitchen where Martha was making breakfast.
“Are you going to wear your pajamas all day?”
I looked back at her and said, “I have nothing to say.”
“Do you have any plans for today?” My wife asked.
“I have nothing to say.”
She looked at me strangely and walked to her craft room.
I just sat on my easy chair, leaned back, and enjoyed the moment. I didn’t even look at my watch because that would be doing something. And if I’m doing nothing, why must I know what time it is?
I enjoyed three splendid days of doing nothing, and reflected on a verse in Colossians.
“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”
— Colossians 3: 23
Dr. Snyder is a former pastor who lives with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, wife Martha, in Ocala, Fla. His email is [email protected]
