LISTEN. Back from Fall Break and a long-overdue reunion with Older Daughter. She's in her element, has found her community, and knows where to find all the good food and fun. Plus, she lent me her high-energy pup for invigorating strolls along the LA River. It's not exactly Montaigne's strolling meditation "in the beautiful orchard" but she definitely pulled me "back to the walk"... (continues)
After listening, I picked out what you quoted from Montaigne about not letting yourself fall into a feedback loop of your own self meditations. I've had issues with "staying in my head" and pondering the next distraction instead of what was actually in front of me.
ReplyDeleteBut that struggle, the mental adversity, makes the feeling of relief after getting on track with relationships, school, etc. well worth the stress.
It always feels great when you stop hitting yourself with a hammer. Greater still, though, if you don't start hitting yourself in the first place. I'm not a fan of courting stress and adversity in order to enjoy overcoming it, I think we have a native capacity for enjoyment we an access more directly. But then I'm not a Nietzschean ("what doesn't kill you" etc)... Pragmatic Pluralist-Epicureans prefer to avoid stress in the beginning.
Delete...we CAN access more directly.
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