When boredom strikes, great things happen. We all have done things we probably would not have ordinarily had we not been bored. For this reason I think boredom receives a bad rap.
Oddly, when I think of the word boredom my mind is immediately drawn to John Muir. Muir was the forerunner in American conservation and we have him to thank for our National Parks Foundation. He was a bit of and odd bird though. He was often gone for weeks if not months just wandering in the wilderness exploring creation.
I guess I think of him because I feel like he was never bored. He found so much enjoyment in the world that he needed to merely be outside and his mind and intellect exploded into wondrous fascination. He love nature and saw it as his playground so of course he was never bored.
I love this ideal by which Muir lived. We have created so many alternative entertainment tools that we cannot merely enjoy the great outdoors. I find it ironic that the people who claim to be “bored” are really missing facebook, playstation, X- box, their i-pod…hasn’t God given us an enormous amount to enjoy?
I encourage you to get out, enjoy nature. There are definite mental benefits, but also health benefits too. Nature provides an almost endless amount of activities to enjoy it with. So, next time you are bored go for a hike, walk outside, sit outside and read…..ironically I write this as it snows outside my window!
Hmmm…this semester I had to read John Muir’s “Summer in the Sierras” for a class. I found it to be really boring, actually. Reading about nature in a book just doesn’t cut it, I guess…you’ve got to experience it.
to each his own i suppose….true none the less, Suzie. I highly suggest experience over reading
i find it interesting that car commercials now advertise cars as a way to get back to nature. that we are so separated from nature that we have to go look for it and we need an all terrain vehicle to do it.