Most people would call my life boring—and from the outside, they’d be right. However, I haven’t experienced a single moment of boredom ever.
For the last couple of decades I have rarely ventured more than about 20 km from home, even back when we owned a vehicle.
I spend most days here, never going out purely for entertainment. Linda and I find our quiet life highly entertaining in the most natural, low-key way.
Quitting the rat race and disentangling from consumerism means I no longer get the jolt of buying new things. Instead, I get a quiet kick from repairing old possessions and using items decades old that still work perfectly.
We’re not into mainstream entertainment or socializing. We neither attend nor host parties—our liveliest “social events” are the occasional lively comment thread on this blog.
We don’t travel unless it’s absolutely necessary, and very few trips are. Yet by staying put so long, and proceeding so slowly, this place has revealed its intimate secrets to us.
We’ve watched trees grow that weren’t even here when we arrived in 2014 after crossing the continent in our quest for peace and quiet in an appropriate and affordable setting.
And after more than a decade of feeding the local crows, we now visit with generations of the same family. They bring their fledglings each spring to show them where the daily peanuts appear, recognizing our faces and footsteps from a tree in the yard, or from the power lines across the street.
So, what is boring, exactly, about peace, clarity, and liberation from the tedium of the daily grind?
Linda once put this to the Universe: “Is enlightenment boring?”
Perhaps it is—to those still chasing the next material thrill. But to us, this quiet, ordinary life feels like the deepest adventure there is.
What about you? Have you found richness in what others call “boring”? We’d love to hear in the comments.
For the last couple of decades I have rarely ventured more than about 20 km from home, even back when we owned a vehicle.
I spend most days here, never going out purely for entertainment. Linda and I find our quiet life highly entertaining in the most natural, low-key way.
Quitting the rat race and disentangling from consumerism means I no longer get the jolt of buying new things. Instead, I get a quiet kick from repairing old possessions and using items decades old that still work perfectly.
We’re not into mainstream entertainment or socializing. We neither attend nor host parties—our liveliest “social events” are the occasional lively comment thread on this blog.
We don’t travel unless it’s absolutely necessary, and very few trips are. Yet by staying put so long, and proceeding so slowly, this place has revealed its intimate secrets to us.
We’ve watched trees grow that weren’t even here when we arrived in 2014 after crossing the continent in our quest for peace and quiet in an appropriate and affordable setting.
And after more than a decade of feeding the local crows, we now visit with generations of the same family. They bring their fledglings each spring to show them where the daily peanuts appear, recognizing our faces and footsteps from a tree in the yard, or from the power lines across the street.
So, what is boring, exactly, about peace, clarity, and liberation from the tedium of the daily grind?
Linda once put this to the Universe: “Is enlightenment boring?”
Perhaps it is—to those still chasing the next material thrill. But to us, this quiet, ordinary life feels like the deepest adventure there is.
What about you? Have you found richness in what others call “boring”? We’d love to hear in the comments.
Maybe tranquil would be another description. Giving up the need for consumer experiences frees the mind for local depth. Sometimes restrictions in money and transportation allow for deeper connection, monastic orders are familiar with ideas around financial restrictions. Linda's idea that enlightenment is boring could be spot on, war, inequality and environmental destruction are not boring but far from enlightened.
ReplyDeletePeace,
Alex
Tranquil is good. Content also. Great wealth can be corrosive to the human spirit. I will take the deeper connection, and tap into the joy of just being alive.
Delete- Gregg
Call me a contrarian: I find those "other" things you mention--consumerism, going out, new cars--BORING!! I recently used the acronym FOMO and my husband asked me what it meant. "Fear of missing out," I explained (we were talking about someone we know who HAS to have this and that because it's the hot item of the moment) and Warren laughed. "I have FOBI!'" he declared. "Fear of being invited!" We do perfectly well with what is important in OUR lives and OUR home, thank you!
ReplyDeleteBeing a contrarian these days is a solid survival strategy. Love the FOBI. I can relate.
DeleteIf things aren’t good at home, things aren’t good anywhere.
- Gregg
JOMO — Joy of missing out! :)
ReplyDeleteOne person's boredom is another's delight. I wish more people allowed themselves quiet time. It is far from boring. It's essential for peace and contentment. Peace, Erin
JOMO - another good one! Filling one’s time with busyness is a recipe for disaster. We can see the consequences all around us. So great that peace can be found, and more importantly, shared with one another.
Delete- Gregg
Beautiful words, Gregg and Linda. Though it's far from countryside, I live in a neighbourhood in Amsterdam where not a lot of exciting things happen. Which is weird as such because it's pretty close to the old center. Kind of due to how it's cornered in. Big events are held in apark and cultural center across a main road, that don't affect the life in out streets. There s no lively shopping street, no theatre, not one store that has more than one floor. I love it. It's a village in town. Due to work I still get out of here and I also enjoy that or appreciate to be able to see the places I otherwise wouldn't visit while I still can. But I would't miss it that much. I enjoy my tiny backyard, work at the goodwill thrift shop interacting with locals, and selling stuff the richer or maybe who left because it was boring here for them... inhabitants left behind. And getting happy faces at the door or messages on line. Just one can totally make my day.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a peaceful sanctuary to me. Nice. A solid community is essential.
Delete- Gregg