-Do you post something on your blog every month?- asked the very first person interested in my blog since ages.
Yep every month. Very well said.
I wonder if they are somewhere there, in space, other people who believe they don't get things done, or done rightly, or done with the righteous frequency. And if I wonder so, as you can guess, I must be on holidays.
-Coffee please- you would like to say if it was not about to be your third coffee today, or if you could cheat that your body- being indulged during the relaxing holidays- still needs any stimulation. Getting a tea instead (which is something around seventh) you open the fridge thinking about what would you like to eat now, only to discover you've already eaten everything. In fact, you were not doing anything all day long. And if so, that must be Christmas.
There is probably no other subject with so many theories and articles written on like procrastination. Even the ancient Chinese Oracle I Ching mentions: 'Procrastination brings regrets'. Although, there seems not to be a simple resolution for this- the old same phrase 'I procrastinate' sounds out on and on even with pride, this straightforward pride of being human, and what is in it more human than procrastination.
What is so attractive about it that we all fall for its' undeniable charm? Surely the long tradition, which grows above cultures and civilizations and makes us all equal in the habit and belief that 'things are getting done'. There is one objective in that sentence: they are getting done on their own. Therefore it is not human nature, not a philosophical and fatalistic shape of the world's running but the cult of things getting done effortlessly.
The curse of effort
Some while ago I had an interesting conversation with one of my friends about the purpose of life which is, beyond any ideological meanings, what do we want to do and where do we want to be. Somewhere in between the lines I dropped several thoughts on my blog: it was more or less two months since the last post. But my thoughts were on writing in general- the process of that, the possible aim of that and mostly, on the idea of writing just for writing. Nevertheless, what I actually said was a miserable try of explanation (to a non-writing person) that the process of writing is not easy. For what I basically meant, the whole process, not a socially acceptable imagination of a writer, boiling in the pot of their passion with a piece of paper as an innocent victim of such matters. The process of reincarnation into a story, becoming a story with your full heart and soul, not a person who jumps out to the local Sainsbury's in between the lines. Because my dear readers, wouldn't that be a fraud?
So I was on my way to explain how does this process work even I was not really in the mood for explanations. But instead of an open mind (so desirable these days, especially if you're on Couchsurfing) I met with a wall which stopped just in front of my nose carrying a deeply sophisticated sentence:
-If that's how you perceive it, maybe you shouldn't write at all?
For those who are not familiar with limited minds' vision of the world: it was a 'maybe that is not for you' kind of advice. That kind my mother could have given me if she was not a crazy tribal jewellery artist (and a fortune teller). Luckily for us, as human beings we tend not to listen to advice.
Such advice indeed should not be listened. Because you see, we live in a world of a cult of everything which is 'effortless'. Effortless is the one and only way to basically everything of your life: you should be effortlessly happy, unconditionally loved and blessed with opportunities falling straight under your feet. Everyday when we wake up we hear that what it is there right for us, will come to us. Effortlessly. With the power of the flow. The problem is, the flow is completely not about it. But I guess such misleading understanding is convenient.
Naturally, we won't be bothered to fight for things which are not meant for us. Relationships should be effortless- and the people we form them with should be modest and simple, with perfect lives and perfect childhoods, waiting for us on our way back home with a label 'the one'. Otherwise, we should leave immediately, because we are not meant to put our hard work into something which is not destined to be ours. So we don't fight, we break up, we divorce. We don't go out on a date with a sympathetic work colleague because we cannot see a secret tattoo 'destined' on their forehead. We buy online an instant love for ourselves, because it is so simple, effortless, it just can't be a scam. We don't fight for people. We give them up. We rest upon the belief that what is right for us will come to us- perfect people too.
Maybe also you won't take on these knitting classes you were thinking of. It is difficult for you afterall as you have never done it before, so probably it's not your secret talent. Talent? And what is talent? Of course, talent is a reason why the right things are always so effortless! And why some people spend years to get the skill while others just have it in their vains?
There is no such an explanation. Because effortless is just an empty word.
During your whole life, growing is a process. Your first steps, first words. Then you try to learn to read, write, count. Remember how it was to first go on a trip without your parents.
Tonight Monkey Seduction will be a taugh moralist: there is no such a thing in this world which is easy. Everything around is a labour. Talent is what you do with what you are given. Just like there is no master who once would not have been a student. That is why I write, and why I am writing right now, with every word becoming more difficult, with a little help of Maurice Ravel.
As for the friend who suggested to me to quit everything which requires my effort: would you leave now, all you love, if you knew if might bring you what is always a possibility- hard work, pain, disappointment. Some of you might answer yes. But those wouldn't read it till the end.
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