Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Vacant

I had a class in college that discussed how when most Americans see a undeveloped parcel of land, they see it as "vacant" or "useless". Only when we put something atop it or in it does it ascertain any level of value.
This weekend I was thinking about solitude and my day and how I do the same with time. Like how a time for meditation and/or solitude is seen as "vacant" unless I specifically schedule it, like the space between scheduled items is devoid of any worth. It is once again the difference between Kairos and Chronos; of the time in which to do and the time in which to simply be.
I need to spend more time in focused solitude, to be away from Chronos and live in Kairos, even if it takes a bit of my type-A scheduling self to get me there.

2 comments:

emilie said...

This feeds into a recent conversation I had with someone about the concept of leisure...

What is leisure and does it have to include an actual activity?

On an unrelated note, I think you'd really like the song "Fido, Your Leash is Too Long" by Magnetic Fields.
I've thought this for, oh, a year now, and I actually meant to make you a mix with it on it, but, alas, I didn't.

In lieu, I'm simply telling you about it.
The song, though, definitely makes me think of you...when I hear its silly squishy sound I picture you specifically, Spooner, bouncing around like a muppet.

While driving.

Anonymous said...

I think that the only time that is wasted is time spent sitting alone watching mindless things like TV. If we focus on something good or spend our time meditating I see it is a needed period of reflection.

Hope all is well with you!