Going into the summer months, my wife and I agreed that it is a good idea for our daughters to be bored. Not the entire summer mind you. That would be a bit sadistic (to them and us). But we want them to learn how to be bored and ways to handle it. Summer boredom resulted in some of the greatest (and funniest) moments of my life and I want my girls to experience that too.
This isn’t just an issue for kids. We don’t know how to be bored anymore and we actually have a visceral reaction to it. That visceral reaction is to reach for our phones, tablets or computers to fill every possible moment.
The ubiquity of technology has eliminated the possibility of an open space with nothing to do but think. Imagine that! An open space to just think!! (GASP)
I hope I don’t need to write a post on the value of having space to think and DO nothing.
Try being bored this coming week. Sit in the doctor’s office, grocery store check-out, parking lot waiting for baseball practice to end or wherever you find yourself with nothing to do and JUST BE BORED. Think about a problem you’ve been avoiding, count your blessings or just stare blankly at your windshield. But whatever you do, don’t grab your phone!