Taking a Zero

I’ve been with my parents in Wales all week. For years, I’ve been trying to get my mom to come out for the Hay Festival – a 10-day literary festival featuring talks by authors, artists, journalists, scientists, and all sorts of other interesting people. I always leave feeling restored, uplifted, and inspired by the goodness of people, and I’m so glad she joined me this year.

My dad has been spending the time going for long walks – his favourite thing to do. I think he did 70,000 steps by Wednesday. And then yesterday, he said, “I’m taking a zero today.”

Taking a zero?

Apparently, this is a known term for Appalachian Trail hikers – a reference to a day of no hiking, when they stay in town, rest, and probably take a much-needed shower. He declared this to my mom and me adamantly, many times yesterday: “Today, I’m taking a zero!” And yet, somehow, he still did 10,000 steps.

It really got me thinking – how often do we truly “take a zero”? Even on this week-long holiday with my parents – precious time, since I only see them a few times a year – I’ve spent 2-3 hours per day working on client projects that absolutely couldn’t wait until next week (or so I told myself). They’ve been good about it, but I’ve found myself longing for a few days where I don’t log on at all, where I am instead fully present with them, lounging around, reading books, drinking tea, and chatting.

So why is it so hard to take a zero? I suppose it’s because of the stories we tell ourselves about how much we matter – this need to feel needed, important, like we are making a contribution. And also: because if I didn’t attend to some of the tasks on my plate this week, they would have just piled up next week and made it more unbearable. And, if I’m really honest with myself, it’s also because I love a lot of what I do, and it’s hard to step away – even if it’s time away from being in the present (like how my dad did 10,000 steps on his day off).

Perhaps some of what I had to do this week actually was time sensitive. But not everything. So for today, I’m going to experiment with actually taking a zero – including not taking the time to find and write up a poem. Instead, I’ll just share with you all a picture of where I've been with my parents all week and then go out and enjoy the day with them. Perhaps there’s something you can also cross off your list in the spirit of moving “closer to zero” as well.

See you next week!