Really think about all of our conveniences and how that we can do more in less time but then have more time to do less. Perhaps this is why we watch too much t.v., spend too much money, eat out too often, have more time for cake and ice-cream while we are watching too much t.v. With all this free time created from convenient living, we might be on the internet too long chatting with people online when we should be chatting with our in-person friends and family. There are so many examples and each person has their own set of examples. Convenience can very easily lead to imbalance.For me, it's definitely the larger "lifestyle conveniences" that have made me bored, boring, miserable, and fat. Take cooking for instance. If it wasn't take out, then it became pre-made gourmet meals at the grocery. All quick to get, quick to eat, and quick to waste money. That leaves more time for more snacking, moreshopping, and more spending. I truly believe this is why I am so fat...the pursuit of convenience and time for more treats. Plus, our days in the Nutter household had grown bland. Since we didn't have to do much to live everyday life, days lacked dimension. I suspect that we had a lot of energy and it was wasted on the wrong pursuits. So it turned to fat. Suffice it to say: convenience kills.
I like to do a lot but for some reason had convinced myself (before baby) that I had no time. I worked all day, came home, made dinner, watched t.v. or went out, and then went to bed. Same thing until the weekends which were the only days I did chores. Obviously we were leading an imbalanced life. Then little cutie pie comes along and I truly learned the meaning of busy. Truly beyond my imagination. I really did have too much to do at first and was shocked, sleep deprived, desperately looking for any convenience to feed the family, keep house, and just relax (see early blogs for the progression).
Little did I realize that chores oddly bring some purpose to life. I have always known that work makes playing more fun but didn't know just how much I was NOT doing and how much I was NOT enjoying as a result. I credit a nesting instinct with my personal discovery on this matter. Some desire washed over me that had me enjoying the extra preparation of making William's organic purees, cleaning the carpet, sweeping the floor daily. He inspired a domestic greatness in me that has spread to other areas. Life is good especially if we are open to the tiny blessings that lead to the big blessings of realizing a happy existence.
In an effort at being clever to myself and so I can remember this ideal, internalize it, and have it become part of my fabric, I have coined this term: An Inconvenient Life*. It is also my theme for the next direction of blog observations and entries. It's a cool road to travel and filled with lots of doing, lots of thinking, and lots of living. It is a happy life; the inconvenient life. I can thank motherhood for it, too. I never realized how much time I wasted until William came along. Now, Brandon and I are busy, relaxed, happy, purposeful, and thankful. What a great year!
*I am not against progress or modern technology. I simply believe we could benefit from keeping some old-fashioned approaches. More work and a little less play might not be a bad idea for those struggling with excess.
