The Importance of Being Idle

A few weeks ago at a Cuban Revolution themed party my good friend excitedly presented me with a book stating excitedly “that it would change my life”. Now i have known this boy for close to ten years and we have probably made this statement to each other no less than a 1000 times. There is always a record, a book, a song, a show, a trip, a sandwich which will change your life. Regardless of the amount of times this promise has been made each time we take it seriously, you could say that we are ridiculous people that way.

It was a second hand copy of “How to be Idle” by Tom Hodgkinson arguing against the guilt that we are made to feel if we aren’t productive every moment of our lives and celebrating things like sleeping in, drinking, going to long walks, taking long lunches, sitting in pubs, basically all the enjoyable things that for some reason we limit ourselves to enjoy only a few times a year on vacation. Being off work right now I have been struggling with my natural impulse to be busy and productive every moment, not to jump out of bed every morning at 6:30 and consult a colour coded to-do list.  

I decided to start small by sleeping in on the weekends instead of running around the house while the boys slept.  I have to say it quite enjoyable. I woke up, went back to sleep. The baby woke up, we cuddled and went back to sleep. The baby woke up again and we chatted to each other in bed. Mehernosh who obviously has been following the whole idle movement for years woke up hours later.  We contemplated what to do with our day, talked about the small moments during our week we have forgotten to recount to the other while Kayan lay between us squealing  obviously proud at himself at having found his way to our bed. It was lovely. My life may not allow me to drink a lot or of spend hours in pubs but there is something to be said for the quieter moments when there is no rush from point A to B, when where you are is your final destination.