Blissfully, Ecstatically, Nirvanically Enjoying Life

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Blissfully, Ecstatically, Nirvanically Enjoying Life

April 1, 2008

Today, I want to write about The Great Art of Doing Nothing… doing nothing in this particular stage of your life and yet you enjoy everything (everything about doing nothing). And when I say everything, it’s basically waking up, having your breakfast, lunch, and dinner, watching TV or playing PS2 in between eating, and most important of all, surfing the net before finally hitting and dozing off to your bed again. The doing-nothing part, of course, happens during the whole part of that everything. Weird, huh?

Here’s a story I read way back in Grad School (but copied the text from a blog)–

An MBA graduate visited a small village on his graduation trip and saw a lone man fishing by a pretty lake. Curious about the lives of such quaint folks, he asked the fisherman how he spends his days.

“Well I usually fish by the lake for about an hour or two, go home to feed my wife and kids and then we’ll spend the night singing as I strum along on my guitar.”

The MBA graduate was astounded by what appeared to be a lack of productivity, “Listen old man. I graduated from Harvard Business School, and I can tell you what to do to become filthy rich. You should really start by working longer hours and catching more fish.”

“I always catch enough to ensure that my family is well-fed…” The fisherman said. “Whatever would I do with all the surplus fish?”

“You could sell them in the market and earn a profit. Think about expanding the business altogether!” Exclaimed the graduate, now on such a roll that nothing could contain his excitement and his eagerness to share his new knowledge with the world, “With the profit, you can invest in better fishing equipment that will increase productivity. With all that money earned, you can outsource the actual fishing by hiring help. You’ll make more by managing the business. Hell, you could make millions!”

The fisherman nodded slowly. “And then what would I do with the millions?”

“And then – this is the best part - you retire!” Said the graduate, now glassy-eyed as he thought of his own retirement, some fifty years into the future. “Move to somewhere scenic and peaceful to spend quality time with your family, doing something you’ve always dreamed of doing. Isn’t there something you really love to do?”

The fisherman lifts his head to the sky and ponders for awhile. “Well I really like to play the guitar…”

The MBA graduate leaned forward.

“And I sure love fishing.” Said the fisherman.

I know this is easier said than done… But I posted the story anyway, in case this would somehow remind us of what we really love to do in our life (Grace wrote a somewhat similar blog on this) — why do we work, why do we pursue post-graduate studies, why we do whatever it is we are doing. I am not espousing for anyone to quit their day jobs or something… my point is simply to set things in perspective, in their right perspective.

Carpe diem!

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Posted by ekstranghero at 8:16 am | permalink

Previous Comments

“doing nothing” would only mean something if you have “something else” to do and yet you choose not to do it.

indeed, it is blissful to have a choice “not to do” anything. but, if you really have nothing else to do, then the luxury of choice is taken away from you. it’s really about power. then again, masarap talaga ang mag petiks habang madaming files!

Posted by ka2x at April 1, 2008, 7:31 pm

ka, perfect. if you are not doing anything because you don’t have a choice, well, it is as good as if you are trap yet again to something you want to get out of. i remember my socsci class where we discussed how happiness of people is equated to the their power to choose whatever they want to do (happened when we were discussing communism and capitalism).

sana ampunin ako ni bill gates, at pamanahan kahit 1% lang ng assets niya… imagine my “power” then!

Posted by eks at April 1, 2008, 8:07 pm

oh, if and when that happens? di ko kayo kakalimutan. peksman!

Posted by eks at April 1, 2008, 8:08 pm

I think you linked the wrong post…are you referring to my post “Slow Dance”? But correct or not…I TOTALLY, 110% agree with you! Not that we need to quit work, but we have to remember to enjoy life too (unless you love your job and you’re HONESTLY happy doing it)! I mean, life is short…if it’s all work (and all about money), time will come that you’ll spend the rest of you nonworking days in the hospital, spending your hard-earned money on your hospital bills! AARghhh…don’t let that happen! Life is too good to be spent on that! Enjoy!
Tara, let’s go fishing!!!!

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