Nothing to Do

Everyone I know when you ask them “What would be your perfect day?” Most people answer with “I would drop off the kids at a grandparents and do nothing” well reader, let me take you on a journey about doing nothing. However, I find myself to be childless in these circumstances, so I think I can even say I am close the expert level of doing nothing.

The day would start with me hearing the rushing of the waves and the fresh scent of ocean salted air. I would be laying in a giant king bed where I can barely find my husband in the sheets. The pillows would make me wish to stay in bed all day with their soft cushioning against my head. I would get up and walk over to the balcony wearing my pink kimono and I can feel a slight breeze coming over me, it feels amazing to be out with the sun, my husband comes up behind me grabbing my by the waist as we look out onto the ocean.

We get dressed in light linens and head down to the breakfast buffet and I am reaching for the fruit, the sweet ripened taste of berries and fresh pineapple, this is what morning should taste like. After breakfast I enjoy a cup of iced coffee as we stroll down the streets of the hotel resort, I can feel the humidity in my hair and it does not bother me. The smell of sunscreen breezes through the air. We change into our bathing suits and with a rush we are back down by the pool it's ten o'clock and I already have a drink in my hand- the mojito the spring of mint and the fresh lime create a combination that makes me smile. The first sip bursts with crisp, juicy lime, balanced by a gentle sweetness from the sugar and the cool, fragrant freshness of muddled mint. A clean, mellow rum flavor sits underneath, adding warmth without overpowering the citrus and herbs, while sparkling soda gives the drink a lively, almost weightless fizz. The flavors come together in a beautifully balanced way: tart but not sour, sweet but not syrupy, minty but not medicinal, and boozy but not harsh. It finishes clean and refreshing, leaving a lingering touch of lime and mint that makes you want to take another sip almost immediately.

Then, the doing nothing begins. I settle into the lounge chair, letting myself sink into its cushions as the warmth of the sun settles over my skin. For once, there is nowhere I need to be and nothing I need to accomplish. No dishes sitting in my sink screaming at me, no floors to vacuum, no need to get up and worry about my dog digging in the yard, there's no urgency for anything. I stop worrying about the financial aspects of life. I do not need materialism, I do not crave the online shopping. I quietly observe the world unfolding around me: couples leaning toward each other in conversation, friends laughing over drinks, groups of strangers becoming louder and more animated as the afternoon slips by. Bachelor parties cheer at nothing in particular, raising their glasses as though they have just won something, while wild bachelorette groups erupt into laughter, their voices carrying across the pool. I watch it all without needing to participate, amused by the little dramas and celebrations happening around me. There is something strangely comforting about being a spectator: watching people talk, laugh, flirt, argue, and celebrate while I simply sit there, doing absolutely nothing. And for once, doing nothing doesn't feel like wasting time. It feels like the entire point.

There is something wonderfully indulgent about doing absolutely nothing while sunbathing beside a pool. I stretch out on the lounge chair, feel the warm sun settle over my skin, and let the occasional splash replace every thought about what I should be doing next. No schedule, no errands, no responsibilities There is just the luxury of lying still and letting time pass without trying to make it productive. I might close my eyes for a while, listen to the soft hum of conversation around me, or lazily watch the sunlight glitter across the surface of the pool. Even the smallest things: the warmth of the towel, the cool breeze against my skin, the condensation sliding down an iced glass beside me. The details seem to become more noticeable when there is nothing else demanding my attention. For once, doing nothing isn't boring or unproductive; it feels like a rare and delicious kind of freedom, where the only thing I have to accomplish is staying right there, soaking up the sun and enjoying the moment. I never want to leave.

We finally get up and make our way to dinner, where we pile our plates high with delicious food and indulge in far too many desserts. I completely forget about pacing myself and eat until my belly is comfortably, almost painfully, full. Feeling pleasantly stuffed, we waddle down toward the ocean and watch as the sun slowly sinks beyond the horizon, painting the sky in shades of gold, pink, and orange before gradually giving way to the soft blue of twilight. Eventually, we make our way back to the hotel, and I realize just how happy and content I feel. Back in the room, we slip into the jacuzzi and soak in the quiet, letting the warm water ease away the last bit of energy from the day while the steady crash of the waves drifts in from the ocean. When we finally get out, I change into my pajamas, crawl into bed, and let myself drift off to sleep to the steady rhythm of the waves outside.

That's how I would spend 24 hours.