I noticed something about myself this morning. I thought that I had successfully shed my American skin on this one, but it looks like I was wrong. It happened while I was doing some work at my computer. I was transferring some files from one folder to another, except the shared drive on which I was working is located in Germany, and I am in the US. Thus, it was taking considerable time to move even one file. Now by considerable I mean about ten seconds, and that was frustratingly slow. Ten seconds!
Last night my wife and I watched Nova on PBS. Some archaeologists were looking for the remains of the lighthouse at Alexandria. They discovered tons (literally) of sculpted rock, including various parts of statues of Ptolemy and his wife that originally were 40 feet tall. (They likely stood at the entrance to the lighthouse.) I can't even imagine the amount of time and work sculpting those statues would require, and I get impatient when my file transfer takes ten seconds! I doubt I would have the discipline and dedication to do for a day what ancient masons did for a lifetime. Imagine if I had to carve this post into a rock, or use a stylus on a clay tablet, instead of instantly typing it. (I would choose my words more carefully and use fewer of them, that's for sure!)
Maybe that is why I like books so much. Like colossi, they are tangible, and they require discipline and take time to finish. They are not instantly gratifying--they require reflection (at least the books I read). They make you slow down. Yes, I still suffer from the typical American culture--NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW!!!!! I still get frustrated when my computer takes ten seconds to do something it would have taken an ancient scribe hours to do. I think, though, that my books are helping me to realize (albeit slowly) that everything does not have to be instant. I don't have to speed in my car. I don't need to be in a hurry. I can wait ten seconds for my computer to finish what it's doing.
I bet Ptolemy would have told me to chill out.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I remember when I was younger watching a rich and famous movie star caught on film behaving very badly over nothing. I now know the name of the emotion I experienced in response to this: indignation.
As I get older I get more spoiled, and I see my comfort zone narrowing because I am becomming accustomed to being comfortable, and the joy I once assumed that I would have because of these comforts becomes elusive. I am always struck with Paul's proclamation "I've had plenty, and I've been in want, but I am content in all these cirucmstances. (My rough paraphrase Phil. 4 I think)And also, when I'm feeling impatient, I think of ancient times when there were no washing machines, or worse than that, no cell phones, and wonder how they ever made it bacj then.I remember when I was younger watching a rich and famous movie star caught on film behaving very badly over some small frustration. I now know the name of the emotion I experienced in response to this: indignation.
As I get older I get more spoiled, and I see my comfort zone narrowing because I am becoming accustomed to being comfortable, and the joy I once assumed that I would experience because of these comforts becomes elusive. I am always struck with Paul's proclamation "I've had plenty, and I've been in want, but I am content in all these circumstances. (My rough paraphrase Phil. 4 I think) I think Also of ancient times when I'm feeling impatient; of the time before washing machines, hot and cold water, or worse than that, cell phones, and wonder how they ever made it back then. But then I become indignant with myself because I realize that joy is not a new concept that was swept in by the industrial revolution. It is truly challenging for me to live in this age of “I want it Now”, and not be affected by it.
I was out of town for a few days and just got back. I was thinking about this post and so re-read it. Then I read my comment. Boy what a mess1
Post a Comment