My Friends,
Today in preparation for an upcoming excursion around the globe I ventured to the travel clinic to receive vaccinations. Whilst waiting in the aptly named "waiting room" I overheard a frustrated, middle-aged receptionist commiserating with her co-worker about patients demanding estimations of expected wait times over the phone. "The wait will last until someone calls you in," she went on, speaking the words she wished she could have said to the caller instead of the more placating answer she likely gave him. The great irony in this is that noone, the receptionist included, wants their time wasted. So we cannot fault someone for trying to plan their day and asking for a time estimation; but should we indulge them?
I understand the importance of timings; they provide structure and allow the world as we know it to function (for better or worse) but for far too many people (regrettably, myself included more often than not), life is nothing but a series of timings: be at work for 9, pick up the kids at 6, dinner at 630. It all seems a little mundane but we can justify it because we all think we are working for something better.
Do you know what that "better" is? I do. It is the day when we don't have to have our timings dictated to us and we are free to live as we please. But we'll never get there. Because as stultifying to our flourishing existence on this planet as the rigidity of timings is, it also provides a modicum of security and stability; two things people feel lost without. Therefore, people, even those who answer to noone, will always be slaves to the self-imposed rigidity of timings because it is, like a well-worn pair of underwear that has served you well, something that is difficult to part with.
I opt to go without the proverbial underwear and forsake these timings. If I must rush for something, let it be something I eagerly anticipate. If I am late for something they will wait for me or they won't; either way, I'll be fine. If I am early for something that gives me extra time to read something interesting or plot an escape route should things get out of hand (depending on the type of appointments you book). In short, inasmuch as possible, we should be attempting to throw off the twin yokes of imposed timings and obligations and revel in the time we can free up for ourselves. If we don't learn to live life on our own schedule now we will never know how to do it.
Stay Thirsty,
-Andre Guantanamo
Today in preparation for an upcoming excursion around the globe I ventured to the travel clinic to receive vaccinations. Whilst waiting in the aptly named "waiting room" I overheard a frustrated, middle-aged receptionist commiserating with her co-worker about patients demanding estimations of expected wait times over the phone. "The wait will last until someone calls you in," she went on, speaking the words she wished she could have said to the caller instead of the more placating answer she likely gave him. The great irony in this is that noone, the receptionist included, wants their time wasted. So we cannot fault someone for trying to plan their day and asking for a time estimation; but should we indulge them?
I understand the importance of timings; they provide structure and allow the world as we know it to function (for better or worse) but for far too many people (regrettably, myself included more often than not), life is nothing but a series of timings: be at work for 9, pick up the kids at 6, dinner at 630. It all seems a little mundane but we can justify it because we all think we are working for something better.
Do you know what that "better" is? I do. It is the day when we don't have to have our timings dictated to us and we are free to live as we please. But we'll never get there. Because as stultifying to our flourishing existence on this planet as the rigidity of timings is, it also provides a modicum of security and stability; two things people feel lost without. Therefore, people, even those who answer to noone, will always be slaves to the self-imposed rigidity of timings because it is, like a well-worn pair of underwear that has served you well, something that is difficult to part with.
I opt to go without the proverbial underwear and forsake these timings. If I must rush for something, let it be something I eagerly anticipate. If I am late for something they will wait for me or they won't; either way, I'll be fine. If I am early for something that gives me extra time to read something interesting or plot an escape route should things get out of hand (depending on the type of appointments you book). In short, inasmuch as possible, we should be attempting to throw off the twin yokes of imposed timings and obligations and revel in the time we can free up for ourselves. If we don't learn to live life on our own schedule now we will never know how to do it.
Stay Thirsty,
-Andre Guantanamo
i had to look up alot of words..... i think it.
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