All those self help books say that you need a life plan; plan your work, work your plan, and everything comes right in the end. So every year I try that, buoyed up with expressions of goals and striving to do and be a better person, and every year someone else throws a spanner in the works to thwart me.
This year I have just one goal: consume less. By consume, I don't just mean what I personally eat (although that could do with some reduction after the festive period, but anyway). I mean all areas of life- do I need that article of clothing just because it's in a sale, or those shoes, or that bag? can I get my act in gear sufficiently to remember to take the lifelong shopping bags to the supermarket, or my shopping trolley, instead of grabbing a handful of carrier bags? Why buy jars of sauces when I can make my own much cheaper? Do I need the heating on full whenever I am home? Walk away from the home improvements magazines and be grateful for that which I have instead of buying into a culture of dissatisfaction. Don't worry about the effects of the credit crunchy, because que sera anyway and it can't be helped.Stop beating myself up about the things I haven't been able to provide for my family, and take the time to enjoy that which I have- rejoice in their achievements, enjoy their company. Relax, take time to literally smell the flowers and the fresh air and kick the leaves and all those things I always tell myself I have no time to do.
Give more, and consume less.
And indulge in 'creative idleness'. That appeals!
Happy New Year.
2 comments:
This may sound too harsh - but I think you write for not only your own satisfaction but to engender other's thoughts? I count you as a friend, so feel able to say the following and look forward to any reply.
Idleness is great and should be encouraged, but in balance. I certainly agree that the capitalist society we live in, in the "west" very much encourages people to work, work and work some more, which is not good for anyone.
But, total idleness - not so sure.
The "problem" I have with that, is if taken out of the context I think you have placed it in, is that there are some people who are able to work, but just decide to do nothing, but be idle, in the sense of doing nothing. And the welfare society of the UK seems to allow that in some cases.
Now, I realise there are people who for differing reasons are unable to work - be they physical, emotional, family circumstances, etc, but you usually find such people, even though they are not "working" in the paid sense of capitalism, are very much far from being idle.
As I'm writing this I'm not sure any-more of anything. One thing I realise, as I get older and probably less wiser, is that for me, there are no absolutes any more, or at least hardly any. There are the few absolutes - birth, death. Then there are those qualities that should be (or it would be nice if there were) absolutes, but can't be because we're human, such as - love, friendship, trust, patience, forgiveness, and so on.
Something is happening as I write this, my eyes are beginning to water. Why? I'm not sure - is it because I long to feel those qualities in myself and don't or the other way round?
There is one other absolute for me - God.
Neil,
all comments welcomed,considered, learned from, and no offence taken!
I was, in retrospect,unclear on my definition of 'idleness'.For me personally, being idle is something I struggle with- even those days when a doctor will say 'go home, take paracetamol, sleep, rest'- I'll be looking for something to do from the refuge of my sick bed or sofa. I agree entirely that absolute idleness is not good for anyone, whilst also acknowledging that there are those who are unable to 'work' in the traditional sense we understand it,and I give thanks for the welfare state we have which acts as a safety net for those folk, and agree that such people are, in my experience, seldom idle.
Maybe I meant we need to 'de-programme' ourselves more. It starts in childhood these days- when we were kids, most likely the only organised activity was a weekly attendance at Cubs/Brownies; have you seen what children attend these days? Increasingly I think we have been putting too much pressure on ourselves to 'do', rather than being content sometimes to 'be' or to 'feel'.
A certain amount of activity is good (and this will vary between individuals); too much leads to burnout and stress, and a constant chasing of the tail.We need to have the courage to take back some of the leisure time we need to rest and recuperate, get back into the fray again. And sometimes that can take tremendous courage.However the rewards are great- look at all that has been achieved throughout history by those who have made the time to 'ponder'!
As for your more political definition of idleness, and benefits dependency, that's an issue I hadn't intended to address, but maybe will sometime soon :-)
With regard to absolutes- yes, birth, death, taxes, God. I personally hope when we are called to account for our behaviour here, we will be able to say 'I did the best I could with the resources I had; I used them as wisely as I knew how'. A loving God wouldn't expect us to run ourselves into the ground; He would, I think, expect us to act as good stewards for that which we have dominion, and for me that includes our time and talents.
Post a Comment