Me time

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What do you consider as your Me Time?

Is it the moment when you wake up in the morning and fix a cup of tea?
Or is it the extra time you take on a weekend to sleep?
Is it the 60 minutes you spend in the gym or out jogging?
Or is it when a new recipe in the kitchen you are cooking?
Is it the evening hours of togetherness with family?
Or is it when you go on a holiday separately?
Is it when you read, write, watch tv or play?
Or is it in bed at night when you quietly pray?

I've always thought me time to be as the time which belongs to you, doing things allowing you to unwind.

Can our work also be our me time? If it were, then would we put more into it than we otherwise do? Would it reduce the stress we normally feel around deadlines? Would then peer pressure and the need to perform not bother us? On the other side, will we end up devoting ourselves to work exclusively? Will we forget to appreciate the beauty around us?

Should I feel apologetic if my work is or isn't my me time?

Looking back

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There is a part in Genesis (Chapter 18-19) where the Lord is going to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of the extreme sinning in the cities and He reveals this plan to Abraham. But when Abraham pleads to the Lord for the righteous living there, He agrees to not destroy the cities even if there are only ten good people remaining. Two angels arrive in Sodom and are taken in by Abraham's nephew, Lot. Not only does he provide them a meal but also intervenes when a maddening crowd surrounds his house. These angels who are about to bring the destruction then bring Lot, his wife and daughters out of the city. They tell Lot and his family to escape and not look back. But Lot's wife does and is turned into a pillar of salt.

Recently I was asked whether looking back I would have liked to change something I did or didn't do from a professional standpoint. Initially stumped by the question my answer was no. Not that I imagine myself to be perfect, requiring no polishing, I feel such attempts in general can leave you questioning everything specially if life is not going your way. Wondering years or even moments after the decision was made if one should have taken a different path altogether or chosen to keep walking on the road one was already on could be detrimental to your present happiness.

It is better to introspect where you are currently and if you are not satisfied with what you see then try to improve that aspect in the future. Even after this process it may be a while before an opportunity arises or you are able to create one yourself. Until then we do as it says in Hebrews, Chapter 12:

1... let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfect of faith.