Blessed Monotony
Monks lead a peculiar way of life. They wake up early and go to bed early. They gather for prayer multiple times a day. They do not marry. They live in spartan isolated cells. And for the most part their work is of the menial kind: gardening, painting, baking bread.
I do not live like this. I’m always on the lookout for the next big thrill. And I see this pattern throughout my extended family. We are hungry—searching for some way of filling the holes within. We do this, I think, because we really believe one day we will find what we have been looking for. We believe we will discover that one high that will forever satiate our longings.
But I no longer believe this. That singularly satisfying experience or high does not exist. And to be honest, this realization saddens me. I grieve because of it, but it is true. And the monks in their blessed monotony are onto something.
I do not live like this. I’m always on the lookout for the next big thrill. And I see this pattern throughout my extended family. We are hungry—searching for some way of filling the holes within. We do this, I think, because we really believe one day we will find what we have been looking for. We believe we will discover that one high that will forever satiate our longings.
But I no longer believe this. That singularly satisfying experience or high does not exist. And to be honest, this realization saddens me. I grieve because of it, but it is true. And the monks in their blessed monotony are onto something.
posted by ChadRAllen @ 7:54 AM
1 Comments:
At May 13, 2010 ,
Pam Hogeweide said...
Great post Chad. I am addicted to excitement and to a certain degree, it's cousin chaos.
Now in my mid-40's, I have realized the blessing of monotony,too. Predictable routines betray rythyms of life and relationships.
I think everyday life is misjudged as mediocrity.
Drama is great for breaking it up, like a good thunderstorm after a stretch of calm weather. I like drama. But the monotonous cadence of family,work eat, sleep, pray and play is where the good stuff happens even when we are sleepwalking.
Great post. I'm gonna retweet it. Love seeing you active on Twitter!
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