I’m going to quote an old, favourite book of mine: Illusions, by Richard Bach. It has a lot of simple insights in life, and could be called ‘new age’ – but I like to think of it as a simple story with a lot of good thought provoking quotes; one of which is:
In order to live free and happily, you must sacrifice boredom.
It is not always an easy sacrifice.
Humans are creatures of habit: we fall into routines, despite ourselves – we like our security blankets of the known and the safe, the things we do regularly, the people we accept as friends, as partners, the jobs we do everyday to earn the money to enable us to do the things we like to do: eat at a favourite restaurant, go to see the movies, a night in with loved ones , pizza and TV.
But are we really happy? Are we focused and engaged each morning that we get up, shower, brush our teeth, comb our hair, get dressed and hit the road to work? Morning coffee wake up, mid-morning water cooler chat, lunchtime sandwich, check the news, afternoon slog, evening hit the rush hour and home. Food, TV, book, bed. Maybe we mix it up every so often of an evening or weekend with a session at the movies.
We have commitments to family and friends and work.
We are incredibly habitual creatures: but the key thing is.. how often do we stop and ask ourselves.. is this what I want to be doing? Is this really the lifestyle I want? Are these the people I really want to be with? Is this the job I want to stay in? Do I even think about what will happen in a year’s time? In five years time?
Some things can not be changed – if you have children, then you obviously are long term committed to their future, so some compromises have to be made to lifestyle. Support is essential. The same goes for dependent family members who may be ill or fragile.
But it does not stop you from shaking things up every so often and saying: I want a change. I want to learn something new. I want to make new friends. I hate my job. I want to push myself further…
I think that letting go of habit, of boredom, the accepted routine is very hard for us to do. It scares us, and challenge is hard to deal with: but I think it is entirely important for us every once in a while to look up from the everyday drudgery and to try and tap into something different. Try a different route home. Read a new book that isn’t a standard crime thriller. Go on a weekend trip into the wild countryside instead of a shopping trip. Ask if that friend that’s not called you back for months is really worth the effort. Question the drip drip feed of reality TV being pumped down your cable – why not watch a natural history show? Ask if the work you are doing is satisfying you – and is there any way to move to something you do enjoy? Can you change even little things about the focus of your work.. can you move sideways instead of out?
I’m asking a lot of questions here, because I think that’s what we should all be doing. Constantly. Never live life on automatic; don’t sleepwalk your way through it. Measure your life by the changes, however small, that you mark your steps by. Regret is the feeling of loss of never having followed your desires and instincts – of having let go and fallen to apathy and impotent acceptance. There is a need to move on, to break out of old routines and expectations – but by actively thinking, being engaged in the now and in control.
babal-on 
Wise essay.
Hello again, Jill.
I know this book, and have read a few of his works awhile back.
With “Illusions”, I was able to see Jesus in a new and different light.
It really acted as a spark for me, and I continued to search thereafter
for more of the same. New views, and new hope were the end result of that quest.
Boredom, yes. Now that I finally have my own site, I don’t much have to worry about that.
But, but, but…there’s always a but, boredom remains to be at odds with the very idea
of eternal life. The Hindu’s heaven sounds like more fun to me than the Christian version,
but really, how good and how long could one carry on with that brouhaha before it
becomes tiresome? I mean, sure. We have a lot of lessons to learn, whether we bring
karma into the picture or not. Forgetting is getting to be all the more seductive to
my way of thinking where concerns another one or two lives before the final synthesis
with God Almighty. Don’tcha think?
Because of the forgetting, I’m really, really glad that I established a few good habits
when I was younger, because then I don’t have to think about it OR question the motives
behind it. One of those ‘habits’, or clothing, is The Golden Rule. I follow that.
I wonder if you’re not facing mid-life in the near future. The questions sound familiar.
Uncle Tree
Uncle Tree
Many thanks for your concern, but I can most reassuredly tell you now, I am not headed for a midlife crisis, simply just because I am actively questioning life and its fundamental values. But again, thanks for your concern – but really, there’s no need to worry.
I will share with you, for the benefit of a wider picture, that I do not follow a faith: I am agnostic. I believe that there could possibly be some underlying intelligence to the fabric of the universe, but I have no way of knowing for sure. But I am happy with that in myself. I also accept that other people have faiths or beliefs with which they are happy with. It’s not that aspect within this article that I am trying to discuss.
If we take the extent of the discussion here, I am looking at fundamental human behaviour: the fact that humans are habitual creatures and take comfort in security and routine. The danger being, that if this security blanket of accepted routine is held too tightly, we lose the possibility of seeing different life paths and the chance to understand other philosophies: other ways of thinking or being, understanding a constantly changing world – and actively taking part in that.
I respect that you believe in a Jesus and an all pervasive God, and that for you, this the path you are happiest with. As you rightly say, in the Hindu and Buddhist paths, there is the belief of reincarnation – the wheel of life wherein souls are caught up in a cycle of learning and relearning (Karma) until they finally beceome enlightened and detach themelves from the base world of Maya (the world of desire) and unify with the All That Is. In all three faiths there is a belief in an eventual joining with an ultimate God – and that, in itself should not be boring… hehe.. ok – that would be an interesting one. But getting back to the original point…
Boredom, in this context, was meant to mean: disatisfaction with one’s lot in life: the kindling or spark of a desire to make a change. It takes courage to step out of an established routine or even an established belief pattern, the desire to change or develop being instigated because what we already have does not seems to fit an inner urge.
I am fully aware, that some people are entirely happy with their lot in life: they are content with their situation, their routine and their beliefs. And hats off to them! But that doesn’t stop them making changes every so often, and improving their lot in life. (Hence my comments about education and expanding of knowledge).
I guess the thing I was trying to key in on, was that one can, and should, continually quest for stimulation and development. That to simply settle for a ‘best fit’ and to no longer seek to improve one’s lot in life, seems like apathy or giving in. Which, I think, is a very sad thing indeed.
I do say, that’s the longest reply ever I did receive.
You don’t look much over 25, so I don’t know what I was thinking.
I have no disagreement at all with what you wrote here.
“Been there, done that”, is the most apt thing to say at the moment.
For most people, it takes a major crisis before they will make a move to change.
That doesn’t always work, either. It is pathetic, like you say, to act like a stone.
Excepting for the stone that held Excalibur, for most folks it would be best just to ‘rock on’.
I do have a bit of moss on my north side, too, so I don’t have a lot of room to speak.
I believe in a lot of different things now, including you. That was well-written!
I read (red) my way out of the lot that was handed to me. It was an urgent urge, for sure.
Thank you very much for taking the time to reply. I appreciate it!
Have you visited my site? I’d love to know what you think.
That was the ‘Golden Rule’ hint. Most people don’t care. I make these efforts anyway.
Meeting people from all over the world keeps me going. I live in Nebraska, USA.
Nice to meet you, Erith(?). Good luck with your oft changing priorities. Peace, UT