On Doing Nothing Well

Good health and longevity are not entirely unpredictable. We know, for example, that economic inequality drastically increases morbidity and mortality for the very poor even when good healthcare is freely available for all. We also know that certain behaviours increase the risk heart disease and cancer and yet we still do them. I am not against the latter, in case you are wondering, these things are usually the most fun, the most delicious and the most exhilarating of all.

Sometimes we may try to offset our occasional indulgence with certain other behaviours which we know are good for us and hope the balance is tipped once more in our favour. Though a little sceptical, I am not against this either if it eases your conscience. Other times, however, you do all the right things and eat all the right foods and then WHAM! You are toast. I don’t like this.

These pages are about doing stuff to feel good but sometimes life just stops. No warning, no time to prepare, no clue what to do but wait and pray. Wait and pray. Wait and pray. Inactivity is perhaps the hardest of all activities yet whether through illness, age, disability or depression we must all learn to do it well. In this regard I have one or two observations.

Think small. If you can no longer see the bigger picture, then pay attention to the detail. You will be amazed. We become so fixated with great achievements and epic adventures that we fail to appreciate what is in front of us. Yet the contours and colours of those flowers that some kind person sent you are more beautiful than the contours and colours of those mountains you once traversed.

Indulge. When confined, your senses magnify the little pleasures you have. Sound, sight, smell, touch and taste are all turned up to eleven. So, the flicker of the candle, the scent of the body lotion, the texture of the cream and the taste of the chocolate from the pamper set that some kind person sent you are far more rejuvenating than anything experienced at that fancy spa you once frequented.

Be yourself. You are now free, so drop the act. There seems to be little authenticity anywhere anymore as our real lives increasingly imitate an unreal world. Social media likes, opinion polls, consumer surveys, bureaucratic tick boxes and key performance indicators measure your success and determine your value. None of these things matter when facing death so why should they matter when facing life? Be brave. Be true. Be you.

Kindness alone matters. Take it from someone who knows someone who knows.