Sunday, March 22, 2020

(Blank) expands to fill......

    Somewhere, somehow, someplace I heard/learned the maxim "Work expands to fill all available time." A corollary is "Junk expands to fill all available space." But, let's stick with the first one. The first week of quarantine passed rather quickly.  Some physics major out there perhaps knows some theorems about the expansion of gases, etc. This is what I'm observing about this situation in which I find myself.
   "Loafing expands to fill all available time."  There are myriad small projects worth doing in the confines of this condo.  What happens? Thoughts float around, such as "No one knows how long this is going to last but it looks like it will be a long time. Therefore, there's plenty of time to do that task later."  So, it doesn't get done.
   There are at least two problems with this approach. First, and most obviously, worth while things, for which I have the time, aren't done. The second problem is more subtle. Not doing them chips away at self-esteem. So far they are very minor chips but it's a path better not taken. Even an introvert could struggle with depression from long term confinement and a multitude of those little chips could be depressing.

   Today I finished Lundborg's book Becoming a Pastor, which was the focus of yesterday's blog. Again, it was like being in conversation with him. The book is available from Amazon. It's the best 'inside' description of what it's like to be a pastor and the author transparently reveals both, what he learned, and who taught him and how the teaching happened.

Takk for alt,

Al

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