Thievery

Funny thing about time and stealing is that there is a sense of justice after all: at any point, if you feel you've managed to nick a little time away for yourself, there will eventually come the realization that Time has stolen back from you. You don't get away with anything.

Sometimes I worry that I don't make the most of my time. I spend a lot of it playing silly games or reading silly things or having silly discussions. I suppose it's built into our nature that we don't suck the marrow from every second of life, and there is value to be found in recreation. But there are things I'm interested in doing and learning that get moved aside because it's easier just to relax. I believe the technical term for this is lazy.

I envy the mindset that effort does not necessarily equate to work. Work is something to be slogged through, tolerated - a necessary evil, usually with some payout we can decide is worthwhile. Sometimes it can seem like anything that requires effort is work, especially when there are other options available that are just pure, unadulterated fun. I find, as countless people have before me, that too much "pure fun" is bad for the psyche. It's a drug; far too easy to get used to and increasingly hard to break away from.

"Let's see... I could go for a run, or... play Skyrim... Hm."

And this is where discipline comes in, and maybe a little self-discovery. Maybe the aspirations I have for myself are exaggerated - maybe I wouldn't enjoy them as much as I think. But I'll return to the idea of time-as-currency here. Could I be getting a better value for the time I spend? Am I investing poorly, frittering away (what I hope is) a vast inheritance, like an irresponsible playboy? Or do I just work hard and play hard? And if so, is there anything wrong with that? In typical high-minded fashion, I think there is... as I sit here blogging with other things I have to do.