Monday, February 18, 2013

Inconvenience

What if your car didn't start this morning and you had to walk a mile? What if your digital reader malfunctioned? What if there is no cable tv service tonight? What if the mall closed for some reason? What if Amazon couldn't ship the book your friend recommended?

I thought about these questions this morning. I imagined the mile-long walk through the streets I drive on every day. I hear birds, morning voices, car engines starting. I smell breakfast through kitchen windows,  feel the dew of grasses on my sandals and the not-yet-warmed air. I could appreciate the architecture of the houses around me, the gardens that I pass by, There is so much to take pleasure in. If my digital reader malfunctioned, I would have to read from a book. I would feel the ripple of the pages through my fingertips, smell the unmistakeable smell of a printed book and not worry about battery life. If there was no cable service tonight, I would have a longer conversation with my son, joke a little longer with him, play a board game, look through the art books on our coffee table. If the mall closed, then we could go to the museum. It would be cheaper, inspiring and would bring us closer together. If Amazon couldn't ship to my location, then I would have to scan the local bookstores for the book. Who knows what gems I could find, what new people I could meet, what great conversations I could have?

The conveniences in our lives are many and are great. They help make our days more efficient and productive. Yet, every now and then a little inconvenience can enrich life. When feeling stuck and uncreative, this may be just what gets us inspired once again. Inconvenienced, suddenly we are awake, we feel alive, connected to what we take for granted.


1 comment:

  1. I needed this, conveniently posted upon my inconvenience.

    ReplyDelete