"Whatever happened to staring, musing, dreaming or just hanging out?"

Oh I’m sure there are individuals who still embrace the art of “just being,” but the society we live in has made it more and more difficult not to do anything. If someone asks you what you’re doing and you respond “nothing”, they will probably reply” Oh, I’m sorry. Are you sick?” Today’s society is predicated on being busy. It’s as if some alien has installed a device in our heads that makes us feel that we need to end the day with a report that is filled with tasks that were accomplished. I often have to smack my inner task master in order to feel okay about just sitting. I can hear it mocking me saying “why are you sitting there? Don’t you know you have lots to do? What if someone finds out that you didn’t get everything done? The ultimate irony is that life is never done till you’re dead.  It took my grandmother all week to do what most people do in a day. Obviously modern conveniences were not available so it took a lot longer to get things done but life was also more spontaneous. No one had an organizer that dictated every activity for months in advance. Neighbors often dropped in for a cup of espresso and a homemade biscotti. As a child I often sat at the kitchen table and listened intently to the adult conversation. I would nod occasionally as if I knew what they were talking about.  Sometimes they would ask for my opinion act as if I had really said something brilliant.  I don’t know if kids get that kind of opportunity anymore.  I often saw my grandmother sitting in a chair looking out into space after a bout of cooking one of her famous dishes. I would ask her what she was looking at and she would say “nothing”. Most people, when they have a few minutes to themselves end up texting or checking to see if anyone has called them. After all being with just yourself and your thoughts is not considered worthwhile. It might be if you bought a tape that had someone telling you how to just do nothing.

 

by Loretta LaRoche

Humor, Health and Happiness

50 Court St

Plymouth Ma 02360

 

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