The Sage says it’s OK to sit … really it is
So who says you have to do something all the time? Who says it’s not OK to just sit and do nothing? In fact, sittin’ and doin’ nothing might just be a good thing … but no. Not these days.
No, you need to be doing something. You have some spare time you need to sit down and relax but not by doing nothing. No, No, you can sit down and relax in front of mindless TV programs. You can sit down and read. You can sit down and knit or whittle or whatever dad gum thing you can think of. But you can’t just sit. Seems like we’re supposed to avoid sittin’ and thinkin’, or better yet just sittin’ and not thinkin’.
What’s so bad about letting your mind unclench and just go where it will, or just go nowhere? The ol Grannys used to do it when they could. We’ve all seen pictures of ol Grannys in a rocking chair with a rifle in her lap. Got news for you, that rifle was just a prop. Granny would say she’s waiting for a varmint. Horse Pucky, Granny was sitting and doin nothing like she should.
When you sit and do nothing your mind wanders. When your mind wanders you think and see things you wouldn’t normally see. If you’re a city dude you might see the clouds and what looks like buildings, or mountains, or lakes or nekid women in the clouds. You might see people for what they might really be instead of just hunks of portable protoplasm walkinaround.
You might see birds. Now that’s a pretty interesting group to watch. We had Bluebirds whenever we lived in a place that we could share with ‘em. Bluebirds are primo. When they’re raising little ones it’s like a bluebird track meet. Back and forth, back and forth, good grief, they never stop. Well the little guys get thin and tired when those young’ens get close to leaving the nest. I’ve frequently seen the male bluebird fly up to the female and give her a bite to eat in between trips to the nest. Now ain’t that nice. Matter of fact, I’ve even seen the male feed the female once in a while even when they aren’t on the nest. Hmmmm…. Maybe they had a wild and crazy night, who knows?
Anyway, how would anyone know that stuff if they didn’t just sit. Sit and let the gray matter go where it will. Oh yah, some folks would look at you doin a silly thing like that and think there was something wrong.
“Hey Eddie! What’s the matter ?”
“Ain’t nothing the matter, I’m just sittin here.”
“Something bothering you, something I can help you with”
“Yah, you can help me, get lost, I’m tryin to relax.”
“OK, but I’m here if you need me.”
Get LOST!
You see, it’s not normal to justsit, Folks think you’re messed up. Maybe we should do like Granny did and keep a rifle across our lap. (Wouldn’t that get some knickers in a twist). Maybe put some fake earbuds in to make it look like we’re jammin. Maybe we should do like Eddie, tell folks to get lost while we’re enjoying what the good Lord put around us.
Like everything else there can be a downside to just sittin. It’s best to sit under something. I know, a bird brain is about the size of a fava bean but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a sense of humor.
I have been a direct hit a few times and I can hear them little critters laughing like crazy. Chickadees laugh the hardest for such little creeters.
Also, if too many people just sit some politicians will get upset cause it’s free just to sit. The darlins might try to put a tax on sittin or maybe say you need some government sponsored counseling.
Anyway, if you are gonna just sit. Watch it, cause some folks just may feel uncomfortable with that.
Having said all that its sometimes just plain good for the mind to do a reset. Heck, even them dang computers need a reboot once in a while.
So slow down. Find some Bluebirds to watch or follow some clouds, doze off or just whatever happens.
Let go, open up, listenup.
I think folks did that more back in the day. Now, you almost never see someone just sitting.
Think maybe there could be something wrong with us thinkin we need to look busy all the time?
The Sage is a freelance writer and leisure professional living in Cumberland County, Tn. He can be reached at [email protected]. You can read some of his other ideas and articles at www.sagepen.net