Friday, February 17, 2012

Glide, stumble and drift


By CHRIS MILLSPAUGH

Believe it or not, sometimes there really just isn't anything to do. I'm finally realizing this as I enter my seventh week of not having a full-time job. The bills are paid, the chores are done, the correspondence is finished, the groceries have been stocked, the phone calls have been made and the doctor's appointment has been made to explore a back ailment. My "to do" list has all of its items scratched out. There's nothing to do. In lieu of worrying, these are now the times in which I thrive

I defocus and glide. I drift and I hide. The mind checks out with its ideas in neutral. I am numb to life. I have entered the glazed mode. Action and reaction have been put on the shelf. I am sans purpose. I like it.

It is my belief that you can overthink—think too much—and that is what will lead you to worry and confusion. What about this? What about that? You question whether you should be doing something instead of realizing that you really don't have anything to do. I like to do this or that. Your friends and family are eagerly ready to point out that you should do this or, on the other hand, that, but you don't very much care about deciding what to do at a particular moment in time. I find that while it is good to get up in the morning, do a little of this and a little of that, it's not imperative if you plainly just don't have anything to do.

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I've been told that since I have nothing to do, I should sit down and plan for the remainder of my life. I did. There was a lot of scrap paper involved, plus two pens. I couldn't agree on anything. I found that no plan is much more exciting.

So now my pace around the house is glide, and then drift. I sweep into a room in glide, sometimes stumble on some protruding object, and drift out only to continue again in the next room. It's just like life: glide—stumble—drift on to the next best thing. I am at peace.

My "to do" list now reads: Arise, shower, clean, glide, stumble, drift, do a little of this, do a little of that, nap, repeat, write a column, sleep eight hours. It works for me.

Nice talking to you.




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