Taos Guilt

I'm suffering from a new diagnosis that's called "Taos Guilt". It has to do with how many events/experiences are scheduled each weekend in Taos and how many I manage to get to. Sometimes it's about the cost and sometimes, even if it's free I don't manage to make it. For example, this past weekend, Andrew Harvey was giving a talk on Sacred Activism and his new book, "Hope". One of my closest friends is reading "Hope" and several acquaintances have spoken highly of Harvey's speaking abilities when he was in town this past summer for a week long intensive. I even received a personal email invitation to attend. But by the time Friday evening rolled around, I felt tired, and wanted to vegge at home. I hemmed and hawed for 30 minutes and by the next time I looked at the clock it was 6:55 p.m. and even if I had gone to it at that point I would have been late. And now I have the aftermath - several folks have told me about the evening (of course, it was great, inspirational, passionate, etc)and I definitely feel guilty. It's like when you want to eat a hot fudge sundae, it feels good at the time and then afterwards you regret it. I was reminded by someone, 'thanks!', that "who knows when he'll be back in town...." Oh well, I guess the only solution is to not read the "Tempo" section of the Taos news on Thursday and not open any suspicious emails that could contain invitations.

And that was just one of things that was going on last weekend. Not to mention artist openings, musicians playing, including a free Chamber concert on Sunday afternoon at the Harwood, a movie at the TCA (my boss told me "Departures" was not to be missed), the farmer's market on Saturday and Sunday and various other entertaining events(and a new play opening at the Metta theatre). So I feel bad Monday, it slips into Tuesday regrets, then I have Wednesday when I've almost forgotten to feel guilty but oops then comes Thursday when the cycle starts all over again!

And there's still so many places I haven't made it to in Taos yet - true confessions: any of the museums(I don't think using the restroom at Hacienda Hartinez counts!), the Pueblo, most of the art galleries, many of the restaurants, except for the less than $15 an entree variety, a temple service, any of the sangha's, on and on. I don't think I'll ever feel there's nothing to do in this little town!