It’s sad that we have to grow old before we can revel in a quiet, do-nothing day. We’ve become so over-stimulated with our 24/7 technology that we don’t know what to do with even small slivers of downtime. My friend’s grandson, who is only five, has been so exposed to some form of constant screen time that he doesn’t know how to play outside, think up imaginative games, and enjoy getting dirty in sand and mud puddles. He has been so exposed to “outside “stimulation that he isn’t even able to sit still long enough to have his grandmother read him a story. That strikes me as tragic.
Sadly, that is the story of far too many children and adults in our country who have become so dependent on external stimulation and information that they don’t know how to think, problem-solve, or even feel on their own. Give them an open day and they get frantic seeking something to do. They do not allow themselves the privilege of just being or getting so bored that their creative juices start to flow.
I have never been an advocate of homeschooling, but these days I can see real advantages to shielding kids from too much stimulation, cell phones, etc. Two middle school age youngsters joined our Linus Chapter last month and brought quilts they had cut, pierced, and sewn together as one of their homeschooling projects. Both the boys and girls had worked on them, and each was a real work of art. I was in awe of not just the kids but the parents who were teaching them to do more than look at a screen and parrot back information. It’s amazing what we humans can do when we put down our techno toys and use the brains and imaginations God gave us.
This morning, I gave myself permission to sleep in, both a luxury and a delight. Once I was up and dressed, I decided to make myself a blueberry bran coffee cake. I forgot to put in the sugar, which made it a bit flat, but I tend to consume too much sugar, so by focusing on the other flavors, I realized how much we miss when our food is always so salty or sweet. I finished my book, then took a walk. The sun is shining, the sky is blue, everything is green and fresh. The field across the way has been left fallow so far this spring, and all sorts of plants and wildflowers have sprung up. By the time I had almost finished my walk, I had decided to pull up a clump of wild daisies to plant in front of the house. There is so much beauty at our fingertips if we just take time to look.
I am grateful that I am still mobile and able to do most things for myself at this stage of my life. Of course, I wish I could be more active, do more, but by doing less, I am finding other things to fill my time. Little things. Quiet things. Contemplative things. I am grateful for this slower pace, though I still have moments of feeling guilty that I am not “doing something productive.” Even so, I am grateful for this slower pace, for now I have time to focus on the richness of my life, the little things that give me pleasure, the wonder of being alive, and the everydayness that fills me with gratitude.