Wasted Time Vs. Relaxation: A Modern Definition

I recently took an Amtrak train 13 hours from Charleston, S.C., to New York City. I spent a large majority of that time playing Spider Solitaire and listening to my headphones. I had not intended to do this, but I was in the rear car and the wireless on this particular Amtrak train stunk.

I have sat before for many hours, considering a variety of things. What it is that makes friends or enemies or strangers happy, my future, my present, the meaning of life itself. I have also pondered nothing at all. As I walked the aisles of this train I saw people doing all manner of things. Those with more fortunate Wi-Fi signals were on Facebook, while others were watching DVDs or listening to music. Others without computers were drawing or writing or figuring spelling with an electronic pocket dictionary for the crossword which sat before them, as the man sitting next to me is right now.

All wasted time - all wasting time. A 13-hour train ride is a long time to be on a train. That much is clear. Still the fact that all these people are doing "relaxing" things is a valuable situation. I wonder how anyone could ever stand to be on a train for 13 hours without something relaxing to do.

So when I hear people bemoan all the "wasted time" in our society today, I would counter that actually the opposite is true. We are all busy doing nothing because since birth we have been busied with so many stimuli - with so many things to learn and things to do that we have forgotten what "taking it easy" is.

Truthfully, we all know when we have gone overboard. When it has been several days and we haven't completed that short-term project; when it has been several months and we still haven't put together that futon frame. We all have done it, or done things like it.

I right now have a hallway full of boxes that I just was too busy watching re-runs on TV to bother with. Of course, that is ignoring all the other influences that have colored my world to this point.

So the next time you're thinking of going at something 110 percent, giving your day off your all and wearing yourself into the ground, consider that there may be things more worthy of your time.

And then get busy not doing them.