Recipes

After a long day at work or a list of to-dos, it seems understandable—healthy, even—to resign to a feeling of not being bothered. An end-of-day cocktail, for instance, need not be fussy. Forget the stainless steel drink shakers and spindly mixing spoons—they will only need to be washed later. Locate an old lime wedge left in the back of the fridge. Rinse the closest glass. Laziness is our best shot at conserving energy for the occasions in life that need it most.

There’s so much we don’t know about each other. It’s easy to fill even our closest relationships with small talk. But we get much more out of honest conversation—not only someone else’s perspective, but a chance to redefine how we see ourselves. If we’re lucky, we might be able to change someone’s mind through discussion, but it can be even more gratifying to have our own changed every once in a while.

We are usually quite capable of pushing ourselves to the limit, and infinitely less skilled at knowing how to come down. Luckily, the effects of fast living might be remedied if only we granted ourselves a few moments of liberating uselessness and the odd unhurried afternoon—an occasion which simply asks that we ask nothing of ourselves. Setting aside some time to quietly observe the world around us is perhaps today’s most valuable form of therapy.