So today, I thought I'd kill time and let the traffic die down before heading home. I needed new basketball shoes (old ones wore out) so I went to the mall. In a very man-like shopping fashion, I quickly found a pair and bought them (made the kill). One store, in and out, just that easy. As I was exiting the mall, I thought "why don't I shop for a bit?" I wasn't feeling blue, so I didn't need to buy something to make me feel better (don't lie to yourself, we've all done it!). So my eyes glazed over as i looked at the mall directory. Man, sure are a lot of stores... Didn't need anything so I left!
I thought I'd do a group fitness class at the Y, but that didn't start for 45 minutes! Now I have a dilemma. I don't know about you, but I'm one of those go go go go go go people that rarely slows down (I'm getting better at slowing down though). I'm also one that doesn't like to wait or waste time, but now I had a dilemma. Got to the Y and thought I'd sweat in the sauna prior to the fitness class. After my sweat, I still had 10 minutes to stroll the Y (not much to stroll) while waiting for my class.
So what am I to make of all this? I don't need anything so I avoided the materialism that we're bombarded with daily (I'd call that a win). But then this waiting! What to do with that?! I think I need to learn the art of relaxing, meditation or something. A mental vacation would be good, even if it's just for 10 minutes. So there I sat in the sauna sweating and at a loss. No pen and paper to make a list (one of my favorite, although strange, things to do). The newspaper only had one page so that didn't take long... There I am a man, alone, isolated from pen, paper, phone, web, etc. and my mind is pestering me asking, "What am I supposed to do now? What do you want me to process? What should I think about?" I run into the same problem commuting, but there I can use the phone and even make a list if I'm careful. Anyway, back to the problem... The question of what should my brain do, when my brain doesn't have anything it needs to, wants to or should do...
Feel free to comment. I'm on a quest for an answer so stay tuned!
