Being Born

I’m not a fan of Bob Dylan. If you can find any of my associates from the coffeehouse days in Greenwich Village, they might tell you why. But I know a meaningful song when I hear one, and the line “He not busy being born is busy dying “ is one I’ve often quoted to people about the importance of keeping moving in your life, not sitting idle. It’s in line with Ismael heading off to sign Articles for a whaling voyage looking for the Great White Whale.
Sitting idle, doing nothing, will kill your brain before your body. But you’ll be dead nevertheless.

Doing the new does not need to be a threatening exercise. You will not need to swear an oath of poverty, tonsure your hair, and take holy orders. It might be as simple as reading a book on a topic you know nothing about. Or even driving down that street, you pass daily but never go down – find out what lies at the end of that road. Try a change from burgundy to merlot.

Bucket lists are very popular but often feature large-scale events—a trip to Japan, the Sistine Chapel, or Mount Kilimanjaro. Be more modest, and maybe get the list done. Have you spent time peacefully watching sheep graze in a meadow or watching the tide roll in? There can be something thrilling in the certainty of both. They happen at a slow pace but alter the landscape as they progress. Similarly, you can alter your life – no need to run off and join the circus.

How am I avoiding the creeping paralysis? Rediscovery. I am rediscovering the guitar after years of not playing and Rediscovering parenthood as a grandparent. The new includes new topics to read. This means dipping into biography, which is not an area I’ve read extensively in.

Even slight, gradual changes can lead to new growth. Don’t disparage the small. The slow, steady effect of the tide leads to significant changes.