The Beauty of Doing Nothing
See if this rings a bell: “I felt like the soil on some desperate sharecropper’s farm, sorely overworked and needing a fallow season.”
That’s how Elizabeth Gilbert describes herself in Eat, Pray, Love
Here’s what she learned about her former life:
“Generally speaking . . . Americans have an inability to relax into sheer pleasure. Ours is an entertainment-seeking nation, but not necessarily a pleasure-seeking one. Americans spend billions to keep themselves amused with everything from porn to theme parks to wars, but that’s not exactly the same thing as quiet enjoyment. Americans work harder and longer and more stressful hours than anyone in the world today. . . . Alarming statistics back this observation up, showing that many Americans feel more happy and fulfilled in their offices than they do in their own homes. Of course, we all inevitably work too hard, then we get burned out and have to spend the whole weekend in our pajamas, eating cereal straight out of the box and staring at the TV in a mild coma (which is the opposite of working, yes, but not exactly the same thing as pleasure). American’s don’t really know how to do nothing. This is the cause of that great sad American stereotype — the overstressed executive who goes on vacation, but who cannot relax.”
She travels through Italy in what a friend called her “No Carb Left Behind” tour, trying to explore the meaning of the phrase Il bel far niente: “the beauty of doing nothing.”
I wonder if we’re getting close to the idea of Sabbath. Rest. Reflection. Enjoyment. Prayer. Re-centering.
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Don’t miss Larry James’s wonderful words about his father, who died Sunday night.
I think a fallow season is in order. Where do we sign up?
I’m not long past a painful divorce myself, but I haven’t the means to fly away to recover. I have to keep working to make the child support payments and the new house payment, and I kind of need to be around for my children when I get to see them.
But you’re right, I think; generally, we Americans must be busy to feel like we’re worthy to breathe air.
I have decided that, after the holidays, I will be taking January, February, and March off. I’ll still go to work for the aforementioned reasons, but I intend to spend a lot of time with my backside parked in my recliner, and enjoying some hobbies.
Now wish me luck sticking to it!
Ahhh, being vs. doing. I’m finding for me that doing must come out of being or it’s all a loss. By being I mean just that – being – with Him, where I find Him. For me that’s often in nature – looking up, looking down, looking in and listening – not straining to hear but stopping to listen. I’m not as good at the listening part but I hope to get better the more I practice it. Really, it’s amazing what you can hear when you ask Him to speak and then stop and listen. For the life of me I don’t know why I don’t stop and ask more often.
No, I’m not getting closer. Being vs. Doing…..Doing is winning. I find that I’m able to justify it cause I’m doing for others. In fact, I feel guilty when I’m not. I’ve always felt God put me on this earth to serve and serve I shall. Even though sleep depraved eyes that worked until 3am this morning on just the right gift for my parents. I’m losing this battle right now.
Good book by the way.
I love one of the “New Beatitudes” from Darryl Tippen’s Pilgrim Heart: “Happy are those who drive in the slow lane, for they will arrive in peace (or in one piece)”. Tough to do. Not exactly one of our cultural values in America – doing nothing; slowing down; resting…
My Sunday morning Bible class is in the middle of working our way through that book. I’ve read it twice and it still hits me hard. I am amazed though, at how hard this is hitting everyone in the class. Everyone is saying that it is exactly what they need to hear but they don’t want to hear it!
Not resting landed me in the psych ward. I am out but still find it very hard to rest. I wished my work ethic sucked and I could leave at a moments notice to see something joyous and carefree.
I have 37 days of vacation left this year. That about sums it up.
I appreciate the comments very much and the sentiments. I also wonder at times if it is also not stylish at times to beat ourselves up over working hard?
I honestly don’t know many workaholics, though I realize they exist. I do know many who have also gone through messy, expensive divorces and didn’t have the ability to lounge in Italy for weeks on end. I also know plenty of parents wondering where the $25k/year college tuition is going to magically appear from, as well as marginal health insurance at $800/month, and, have you seen real estate prices lately?
I digress, and also acknowledge the wisdom of the words. Now, I must attend to a stack of files on my desk.
Back in the late 50s or early 60s Time magazine, if I have it correct, had an interview with C. S. Lewis. During the course of the interview, Lewis described his typical day. The interviewer remarked that it sounded monotonous. To which Lewis supposedly replied,
“I like monotony.”
I’m very fortunate to be able to “do nothing” fairly regularly.