Last year, 2017, was for me, full of hard work, deadlines, and new challenges. And it was mostly all to the good. I learned a lot and I accomplished a lot. Now it’s time to turn the page.
But first I want to note the blog that I wrote last year at this time about my grandmother’s concept of interdependence and her wish to make January 1st “Interdependence Day.” If anything, humanity becomes more and more interdependent in every way, economically, environmentally, politically, to note some obvious ways, every year. This is true despite the push for autonomy in some parts of the world. In fact, I wonder if this impulse to hold onto, or reinstate a sense of distinction, is a reaction to the fear that local uniqueness will be subsumed into a larger, more homogeneous culture.
However, I know that for my grandmother interdependence did not mean that. Rather, it is both recognition of our specific cultures and the realization that we depend on each other to tackle universal problems, establish peace, take care of the earth, promote justice, and provide economic prosperity for everyone. Her thought was that only with the understanding of our interdependence can sustained change occur.
For today I wish to extoll the virtue of taking time to do nothing. Perhaps this is in reaction to last year when I felt I had to take advantage of every hour for some purpose. As the new year approached, and I had, for the first time since I could remember, time off, I realized I relished having time, for a change, to choose to do something, or not, to just sit for awhile.
According to an article at the website ‘knowledge.insead.edu>career’, our culture considers doing nothing to be unacceptable, even irresponsible, a waste of time. The article goes on to note that when we feel busy, we can get shots of dopamine then feeling a rush, making stopping even harder to do.
But doing nothing and giving your brain a break not only can improve mental health but also to provide the space and time for new ideas to surface. There is a connection between doing nothing and boredom. The article explains that boredom can be considered a “liminal state” that can open us to our imagination and creativity. At https://7onashoestring.com/value-of-doing-nothing I found the story of Walt Disney, who on Saturdays took his daughters to Griffiths Park to play. He sat for hours watching and waiting for them as they played. During those hours he conceived the idea of a place where parents and children could both play…. Disneyland! I know that when I want to find inspiration for a new painting, I simply walk observing the landscape around me. For a time I feel as if nothing stands out. I keep going. Invariably something catches my eye. But I had to let go, simply be there, open to seeing.
So, I wish you a great 2018. And may you have some times to simply be.