I have always been a multitasker. Reading and eating, watching tv and doing math homework, listening to music and drawing, etc. I feel it fulfills a constant urge to be doing something at all times. Once I finish one task, I am on the next without a break to stop and think. I mean its not all bad, I think there are times where the creativity of music lends itself to the hand movements in drawing, among others, but I know there are instances where the lack of full attention hinders the tasks individually.
A couple things have made me think about this mantra of constantly doing things and never sitting still that I once prided myself on. Obviously I still value my adventurous spirit, but this summer I have been learning about the importance of reflection.
These past weeks, I have come across Socrates’ bold statement, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” These words make sense to me. How am I supposed to understand anything if I do not take a moment to think about it? A couple weeks ago I was reading Hunter S. Thompson’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” and I kept feeling that I was missing something. Well, I had to realize that I am probably not going to understand any underlying meaning from just reading the words off the page. Although a simple thing to understand, I do not think I fully grasped the power of reflection until recently.
Wall Street Journal just published an article, “Why Is It So Hard For Us To Do Nothing?” It talks about how some people would rather receive an electric shock than sit around, do nothing, and in consequence, think. Its not just my generation, one that gets faulted with constant use of social media. Researchers said that the same dislike for doing nothing is found in older age groups. An article in the New York Times, “Reclaiming Our (Real) Lives From Social Media” confronted a disadvantage to social media. These days, instead of waiting around contently and progressing through our thoughts, we are more likely to reach for our phones and check the latest instagram feed or twitter update. Although I do not have a twitter, I totally agree. I have often thought to myself, instead of thinking why am I scrolling through some page about vegan smoothies when I am not even vegan and do not even like smoothies. Both articles mentioned brilliant people like Sir Isaac Newton that came up with his gravitational laws by developing his ideas through time spent walking and doing nothing, and Ernest Hemingway that wrote the first chapter to his novel while waiting inside a cafe for the rain to stop. All of these readings have motivated me to spend more time doing nothing, and just thinking.
With an impending decision like declaring my major, this is the perfect time to spend more time thinking. Additionally, my internship in the arts is constantly throwing me into positions where I feel a surplus of creativity. I vow to think more, to understand my creativity and find something to do with it.
Optimistically, I believe I have already started. This blog is my act of reflection. I have journaled in the past, but not very diligently and mostly about drama with boys and angst. These writings will be more about the thoughts that make me whole, and I will save the romance for my personal little black books.
Chocolate Milk 