peopledrivecars.com

Long ago, I said I would tell the story of my pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela along the Way of Saint James. Though it has taken quite a while, be assured, it is happening. It would be rude to jump right in, so let us start with how I initially planned my trip. The pre-departure trip planning, if you will.

My Trip Planning Process

I like planning. Maybe that is why I am a transit planner, and why my family and friends trust my trip planning ability. It was obvious that going on a journey as long and arduous as a pilgrimage would require a good plan. As soon as I decided to go on a pilgrimage, my mind was hard at work figuring out my plan.

After I learned I could take three weeks off work, I decided where I would start. When I first began trip planning in the summer of 2013, I read on one of many websites that the Camino Frances, or the French Way, was the most popular route and therefore would be the busiest. I was not fond of being with a ton of people. I’m a bit shy and I like walking alone, but what really concerned me then was finding space in the albergues along the way each night.

More research showed that there were other, less travelled ways. The Camino del Norte, or the Northern Way, drew my attention because of its proximity to the ocean. Splendid ocean views for hundreds of kilometres?! Sign me up!

Now I needed to figure out which city along the Northern Way to start my walk. Apparently, walking along the full length of the route would take at least a month, so after fiddling around with Google Maps, I decided on the port city of Santander. I figured with a walking rate of 40 kilometres (24.85 miles) a day I could get to Santiago with time to spare.

A Change of Plans

However, my trip planning would not go according to plan. A mere month before my trip my boss informed me that I could no longer take my time off during my planned vacation time. Saddened by the news, I cancelled my flight and put aside my excitement…but not for long. This was a momentary setback, as I was still intent on going, even if I was forced to reexamine my plan.

February 2014 was my new departure month, after a more clear talk with the boss. I also examined my route again, and decided that walking in winter along a stormy sea would be much less fun than along beaches during a hot summer, which was my initial plan. After more research, my new plan was to start at the city of León, complete the Camino San Salvador, then continue to Compostela along the Camino Primitivo.

From what I had read, it would be quite the adventure. I would be walking through mountains in the middle of winter along rarely trodden paths. Just my kind of trip! I prepared myself by taking long walks through nearby neighbourhoods (sometimes through knee-deep snow – I’m Canadian!). I also asked my family for a good jacket and hiking boots for Christmas.

Final Preparations

With the plan set, I rebooked my flight to Madrid, noting that I would have to take a train to León. I booked a room for a night in a university residence, printed a few maps, and mentally prepared myself for the journey.

With the day of departure nearing, I packed up and got ready to go. Though I would have to carry everything I needed on my journey upon my back, at least I would not have to pay for check-in luggage! Besides the clothes I wore on the plane (pants, shirt, thin hoodie, and jacket), all of my meager belongings would need to fit in my pockets and backpack:

• Two more hiking outfits (pants, shirt, underwear, socks), plus spare socks and underwear
• Pyjamas
• Water bottle with filter
• Guidebook to the Camino de San Salvador
• Guidebook to Northern Spain
• Multi-tool
• Compass
• Camera
• Passport, wallet w/ID, credit card and hundreds of Euro in cash
• Protein bars
• Detergent pods
• Medical supplies (ointment, needle, lighter, sports tape, bandages, gauze)
• Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer, soap, small towel)
• Wool gloves
• Hat
• Small sleeping bag
• MP3 player and earphones
• Blackberry phone and charger

Yes, this is a long list. However, there were some things I did not think to bring, such as sunscreen, sunglasses and a power outlet adapter. All in all, my backpack weighed about 9kg (20lbs). Keep in mind that I would be putting more things (such as food and water) in it throughout my journey, which I would also have to carry.

Trip Planning Complete

After all this planning and packing, I felt ready to take on whatever came my way (or rather, what I would end up meeting). However, there were many things to worry about that I had not yet thought about: where to go in León to begin my pilgrimage, common Spanish phrases I might find handy, and what other supplies I might need. Despite this, I was ready to travel!

The next post (whenever I get around to that) will be about Day 0 – Travelling to León, Spain. Thanks for reading!

A Short Update

I fear I have waited too long to post. Though I have been preoccupied, I have always had time to write. Unfortunately, I have had little incentive or compulsion to post. You see, I have found someone very special who loves to hear my stories and seems to appreciate them all, so the main reason I started this blog has been fulfilled. However, I will try to post here and there when I have the ability to focus.

Also, I was supposed to start posting about the details of my pilgrimages. It was harder than I imagined, as there were many details to describe, many of which I have to actually research. I have no problem doing this for reports at work, but I find it incredibly difficult to sustain focus on my own projects. I am sorry for this. Maybe if I pretend people are waiting to read the next installment I can summon the willpower to post more often. We shall see!

A Poem For Your Reading Pleasure

As you can tell from the post title, this is all about fears we may face on our journeys. I will tell you of a time I was struck by fear during a night in an abandoned monastery. Maybe you can imagine what haunted me that evening seven years ago. Read my poem and find out!

(This poem is based on Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse. To read it properly, pause a bit at the long space in the middle of each line and at the end of each line. Of course, if there is punctuation, follow that.)

The Abandoned Monastery

There lies a path     picturesque but perilous
Called the Camino de Santiago     or Camino for short;
The Way of Saint James     for English speakers.
Pilgrims walk towards     the west of the world
To the city of     Santiago de Compostela                                                                      5
Where the bones of Saint James     the apostle of Christ sleep.
Then some follow further     to Finisterre
Where the earth ends     and eternal waters emerge.
 
Here is one traveller’s tale     which tells of a time
He made a chilling choice     and was chastened for it.                                           10
Though he overcame     the outrageous ordeal
The memory of it     still remains in his mind.
 
After many miles     of marching through mud
A young man yawned     yearning for rest.
Sleepily stumbling     he sought shelter and safety                                                  15
In a corner of the Camino     called Cornellana.
He hoped to hide     in a hotel or hostel
From the cold night.     Now evening neared, and no one
Greeted the weary wanderer     with a warm welcome;
For few visitors would     venture a voyage here                                                        20
During winter weather     windy and wet.
Spring and summer     were the sweeter seasons.
 
Turning towards a little-used track     the young man travelled
To a broken building     battered and beaten
By sleet and sun.     Slowly the sojourner                                                                      25
Approached the ancient abode,     an abandoned abbey
At the furthest tip of town.     Tonight he would end the day’s toil,
Forcing himself into fitful slumber     within the forsaken monastery.
Passing the courtyard entrance     in early evening
The young man looked upon     a looming limb of shadow                                  30
Set by the abbey’s steeple     in the setting sun.
Broken windows watched warily,     wind whistling within
While grey stones lay silent     scheming among themselves.
Inside the young man’s head     churned hints of haunted halls
Where terrible spirits     tormented his thoughts.                                                    35
 
Distraught but not yet defeated     he discovered the door
To a hidden hall for hikers.     It was here he would sleep
Until the sun rose, and,     rejuvenated from rest,
The young man could     continue his Camino.
Despite the darkness     he darted through the door                                             40
Into a peculiar place     where no people were present.
Many bunk beds there were     bearing thick blankets
And fluorescent lamps flickered on     flooding all in white;
Lacking even a lonely window     for natural light to leak in.
This space was a modern miracle     unlike the musty monastery,                 45
Which was old and odious     overcome by age;
Yet it nurtured a nasty nature     born from years of neglect.
Better here than the bare outdoors     the young man believed
As he ate and attended     to all his ailments.
At last, clean and cozy     he clambered into bed                                                      50
Though fearful he was fatigued     and fell into fitful repose.
 
The young man slept soundly     until his soul was shaken. 
From slumber he shot up     scared and shaking.
The doors had burst asunder     from an attack of angry airs
For a menace had marched     into the monastery.                                                  55
Firmly frozen was he     by the unfriendly force;
Enthralled by the entity     entering the room.  
At any moment     a murderer or madman
Would pounce, or perhaps     a powerful predator
Haggard and hungry     would have him for dinner.                                                 60
Stunned into silence     the young man stared
Beyond the doorway     into deadly darkness.
The seconds slipped by     ever so slowly
As he anxiously awaited     an end to it all.
But no one ever came     to claim him captive,                                                          65
Or haunt his waking nightmare     with hideous horrors.
 
Little by little     his limbs loosened 
And daring to breathe     he brought back life to his body.
Rising out of bed     and ready to react
The young man moved     towards the monstrous maw                                      70
Of the ominous opening     to the outdoors.
His only weapon     was his walking stick 
Solid and sturdy     but not strong or sharp.
He nudged his neck     into the night
Expecting to be enveloped     and eaten by enemies.                                           75
But there were no foes     for the young man to fight
Nor ravenous beasts     roaring with rage.
A sudden storm had sprung     scouring the earth
With wicked winds     and whips of lightning
While a dismal downpour     drowned the land.                                                        80
Though the thunderstorm     was thrashing outside
The young man’s heart     harboured new hope.
Wild and wicked weather     had wrenched the door wide open
Not beasts or burglars     nor boogeymen or bandits.
 
Relieved by the revelation     he reached for the doorknob,                              85
Slammed the door shut     and securely set the lock.
Time there still was     to tumble back into bed 
And prepare for tomorrow’s path     away from this place.
Now that the nightmare     had been negated
The young man was undaunted,     until he laid eyes upon the unknown.  90
Only now he realized     that in the rear of the room 
There was another door     disguised in the dark 
Which led closer to the centre     of the cavernous convent.
As frightening     as the first fear had been
It was nothing like     this newer threat.                                                                       95
To close this door     he must delve deeper,
Plunging further inside     this perilous place. 
Shocked, the young man     stared into his soul.
His will wavered     and he felt weak,
As his heart grew heavy     with hopelessness.                                                        100
Though the storm had not stopped     only silence could be heard
From the vacant veil     filling his vision. 
Step by shaking step     the young man shifted
Towards the terrible darkness     and the terrors that lay hid
All the while imagining     what awaited him within.                                               105
Robbers and ruffians     he was now ready to resist
But devils and demons      dismayed him with dread. 
Groping in the gloom     the young man grasped
The knob of the door     to knock out the night. 
Before he could bar the way      a bolt of lightning                                                  110
Assaulted the abbey     filling all the air
With a flash of light,     forcing the darkness to flee. 
For a mere moment     the young man saw
Revealed to him     all reverence in ruin.
 
The grated stained glass     could no longer guard                                                115
Against the whims     of wanton weather.
The pews and podiums     had been pounded to dust,
While carven sculptures     had cast cold glances 
Upon the loathsome ashes     with lidless eyes.
The stone pillars     gleamed with pale power                                                          120
In the evanescent     electric light, 
Their topmost turrets     trembling with the thunder.
For hundreds of years     these halls had not heard 
People professing     their prayers to heaven,
Nor hallowed hymns     of heavenly praise;                                                               125
Only the constant creaking     of callous time kept company. 
Though the illusion was illuminated     for only an instant,
For the young man,     the majesty and misery  
Of the scene before him     was too baleful to bear.
 
Seeking safety     he slammed the door shut                                                          130
Then placed chairs in piles     across the passageway 
So spirits would tumble     if they sought after his soul.
Leaving the lights on     he leapt into bed 
And huddling under covers     he hoped beyond hope
That he could fall asleep     and would awaken again                                          135
In the sweet embrace     of soothing sunlight. 
The minutes passed by     without mention of menace
As heartbeat slowed     and head healed from horror. 
Oppressed by the ordeal     sleep overcame him,
This lonely young man, who,     looking to lie down,                                             140
Searched for shelter     and security 
In an ancient     and abandoned abbey.
 
Meekly the sun rose     on a misty morning. 
Amazed to awaken     unharmed and alive
The young man mused     that this must be a miracle!                                       145
Surveying the scene      he saw the doors still shut
While the chairs continued to crowd     the closely guarded hallway.
Though refreshed from rest     he registered no relief 
From the dark dangers     dwelling behind the doors.
He swiftly prepared     to depart from this place                                                   150
That had tricked him     and tormented his thoughts. 
With baggage packed     and belly full with breakfast
The young man marched     out of the monastery 
Quickly and quietly     to continue his quest
On the Way of Saint James     to the field of stars,                                               155
The city of pilgrims,     Santiago de Compostela.             

The Monastery of San Salvador in Cornellana, Spain

According to Wikipedia, the monastery was founded in 1024 by the daughter of King Bermudo II of León, making it almost a thousand years old. However, most of the existing monastery was built in sections over the following centuries. The specific history of the building can be found here (in Spanish).

Though it was not my preferred place to sleep that night, a number of circumstances brought me there. First, I arrived in the town of Cornellana at sunset, so it was a logical place to stop for the night. Second, the monastery was an albergue, or at least part of it was. The pilgrims’ bedroom and the kitchen were relatively clean and modern, so I assumed they were safe to use. These were located around the courtyard, and not the dilapidated church front in the above picture. Third, my previous experiences with albergues led me to believe that a caretaker or hospitallero would come by to sign me in and give me a quick tour of the place. This did not happen. By the time I realized no one was coming, it was too late to leave and search for a hotel. I was stuck there alone.

At this point there was no fear in my heart, only regret that I would not have a warm meal for dinner. Still, I made the most of my time there. I took a nap, ate some of my supplies for dinner, and attempted to wash some clothes with nothing but some detergent and the washroom sink. Despite the stereotypical location, the thought of ghosts or spirits had not yet popped into my head. (This incident happened before my encounter with the horses in the blizzard, which I wrote about previously.)

Fear of the Unknown

Fear is something that all people experience. Many of us have common fears , such as a fear of heights, spiders, or needles. Some of us have very specific and strange fears, such as a fear of weird shapes, wide open spaces, or clowns. However, I am sure that there are things out there in the world that we would fear, if we only knew about them. And for me, I discovered that sleeping in an abandoned monastery during a thunderstorm was one of those things.

So what can we do about our fear of the unknown? One thing you cannot do is stay home and hide forever. I imagine this is especially the case if you are claustrophobic. Jokes aside, never taking any risks to avoid potential dangers sounds like a very sad and dull way to live. Firstly, one would miss out on all the joys of life outside of one’s doorsteps, whether they would like social interactions, or exploring new places, or just learning new things. Secondly, without engaging in something new there is no growth, and if a creature does not grow, is it really alive?

This sounds like social commentary on COVID-19 lockdowns, does it not? That is because they both deal with the idea of staying safe versus taking a risk. You have probably heard the phrase “an abundance of caution” many times since these lockdowns began. If we lived by that mantra then we would be paranoid neat-freaks living in a bubble. This is hardly a way to live, but if some choose to do so, then by all means let them. However, for the rest of us to live and grow we must venture out into the world.

How To Take The First Step Past Fear

So what can we do to lessen our fear of the unknown? This is difficult, especially since the unknown is by definition, not known. But one way to do this is to be resilient and capable. When I went on my pilgrimages, I did not know what I was really getting into. However, I was healthy, fit, reasonably well-equipped, adaptable, and I knew where I wanted to go and in which general direction to go. That does not mean I was carefree and blissful in my ignorance, only that I could recover from my fear in time to deal with the issues that popped up during my journey. And trust me, there were many!

So how does one become more resilient and capable? I do not have a simple answer, except that one should try new things. Let us say you are the world’s best swimmer. That experience has some general benefits, like excellent physical fitness, an ability to swim fast, and maybe a degree of diligence and focus. But will your adept swimming skills help you assemble IKEA furniture? Study for a biology test? Create a mobile app? Probably not (though I would not know for sure since I’m not a world-class swimmer). Also, I am not a psychiatrist, so take my words with lots of salt!

In short, we face our fears by living life. Our experiences ready us for the next challenge, which in turn allow us to understand ourselves better and give us confidence in our abilities, whatever they may be. And hopefully I will soon undertake my next challenge, to post more often!

My apologies for the lack of posts since the last one in July. At first I was away in Bogotá, Colombia, for an international karate tournament. After that I was in recovery mode. However, I did not recover. I caught a hacking cough from somebody on my return flight, and only two weeks later have the symptoms flared up. That alone might be reason enough to delay a blog post, but the truth is that I got lazy. Due to my cough I didn’t sleep well, and because I always had poor sleep, I didn’t have the energy or motivation to do anything. That led to late nights binge-watching useless Youtube videos, which led to poor sleep. And so on and so on.

What does sleep quality have to do with journeys? Plenty, actually. First, getting good sleep is crucial to climbing over mountains, trekking through pouring rain, and asking the locals in their languages for help. Second, some of the best sleep I have ever had was during my pilgrimages. And third, there was no feeling like the one I had where I was wandering in the wilderness and wondering where I was going to lay my head that night.

The Best Sleep I Ever Had

Part 1 – The Journey to Sleep

During my pilgrimage in Spain I had a lot of great sleep. I don’t know if I will ever attain that level of restfulness and rejuvenation again. However, there was one memorable sleep I had during my pilgrimage in Italy. Of course, it is an extreme example, and not a good way to get good sleep every night, but it is instructive if you know what to look for.

After walking 33.9km across the flat fallow farmlands of northern Italy I arrived at the town of Fiorenzuola-d’Arda. Along the way I dealt with burning pains in my feet, the hard thumps of my boots against never ending asphalt, and a river crossing. By the time I arrived in town it was dark, and I just wanted a place to stay. Two hotels later I found a decent place with pink walls and a bed just for me.

After unloading my things and resting my feet a bit I rummaged through the dark town for some grub. A beer, salad, and a whole spicy pizza later, I was ready for bed. At 10pm I was fast asleep.

Part 2 – Asleep and Awake

At 10am I awoke to a gentle rapping upon my door. I opened my eyes in shock, but did not move. I had no idea when or where I was! Looking around, nothing seemed familiar. The knocking only increased with every minute it took for me to realize I was in Italy on a long walk. Finally my mind pieced everything together: I had been asleep for 12 hours! I had probably laid upon my bed like a dead thing, not even twitching. My body just needed as much sleep as it could muster, and my mind had left the world of pain and weariness to find a more serene locale. No wonder I was dazed and confused upon waking.

The knocking eventually stopped, followed by extremely poor English telling me there was breakfast downstairs. I opened the door and thanked the housekeeper for letting me know, but really I was disappointed I could not sleep more. Not that I needed any more. I was awake, I was alert, and for the moment I was healed in mind, body, and spirit.

Quick Review: Sleeping More Soundly

As mentioned before, this is an extreme example. No one should walk 30km or journey in foreign lands just to get better sleep. And it doesn’t always work. Below are some of the many factors found on the Internet that can affect sleep. Some of these are serious enough that even my method cannot help you. And just so you know, none of this is medical advice. I’m not a doctor.

A) External Factors – Light exposure during the day, use of electronics (blue light exposure), uncomfortable temperatures (especially heat), loud and/or irritating noise.

B) Physical and Physiological Issues – An actual sleep disorder (e.g. sleep apnea), consuming certain items close to bedtime (e.g. alcohol, caffeine), poor sleeping position, poor mattress and pillow, general comfort of bedroom, level of weariness at appointed sleep time, eating large meals close to bedtime, are you sick (especially with symptoms that could disrupt your sleep, like coughing or excessive urination).

C) Timing – Is bedtime at a consistent time? Do you plan on waking up at the same time each day? Does the bedtime & wake time make sense with your current lifestyle and habits? Do you know how much sleep you actually need? How much sleep do you actually get? (if you are in bed for 8 hours, how much of that was actually sleeping versus thinking/rolling around/rearranging pillows/eyes closed but nothing happening).

D) Mental Issues – Stress and worries, thoughts floating around your head.

E) Pre-Sleep Habits – Do you have any routines before bed? Are there sources of stimuli active that you could diminish before you sleep? (e.g. children running around, TV/radio on in background).

So What’s the Real Secret to Better Sleep?

It has something to do with D) Mental Issues and E) Pre-Sleep Habits. I know in my life there are nights when endless thoughts run through my head. Things I haven’t done, things that need doing, things I worry about, and things that bother me all float around in my grey matter. Those thoughts really cannot help you sleep better. In my tournament in Colombia, as usual for high-level events such as this one, I couldn’t stay asleep through the night. Different thoughts went through my head, from how I was going to punch people to if I was physically and mentally ready. This definitely relates to mental issues.

As for Pre-Sleep Habits, I’m not talking about meditation or writing in a journal, though those habits could help. No, I’m talking about more…successful actions. Yes, it is success that is the secret. If you live your life so that each day you accomplish something, you have a better chance of sleeping in peace. You won’t be bothered by your conscience, telling you that there are things yet to be done. Thoughts of tomorrow’s activities will be less likely to intrude uninvited into your mind.

How do I know this is the secret to better sleep? I don’t really know. This is all conjecture. But I have lots of experience with wondrous naps and fantastic sleeps, as well as horrible, no good sleeps.

How Does “Succeed to Sleep Better” Work?

Think about a day you had that was very hectic and busy. Maybe you wrote an important exam, or you were competing in some event. After the day was over, all you wanted to do was get into bed and sleep. And the result? Probably a good to great sleep, though you might not have even noticed.

Contrast this experience with a day where you did nothing. It doesn’t matter what “nothing” means to you, only that you didn’t do anything important or worthwhile. Maybe you binge watch Netflix all day and night, or you were “busy” collecting head shots on your favourite online FPS game. At some point you almost forced yourself to go to bed. The sleep afterwards was probably short and fitful. If you weren’t thinking about a myriad of things then you were probably tossing and turning in bed looking for the right spot to fall asleep – and not finding it.

My life these past two weeks were rather empty and full of fleeting pleasures. It should be no surprise that my sleeps had been compromised. I’m not even counting the persistent cough I’ve had for a week now. Being awoken by a dry cough two or three or four times in the night is not good for anyone, let alone a sad sack of a person. Is it any wonder that the stereotypical weed-smoking free-living hippie* always seems to look tired and depressed while successful people seem to have lots of energy even as they juggle a million tasks daily?

How to Use Success to Sleep Better?

First of all, you should make sure that your sleep issues are not coming from other sources. If you use a computer late into the night every night to play games, then you can probably just change your pre-sleep habits to tuning out electronics half an hour or an hour before you sleep, and sleep earlier. If you have sleep apnea or some other sleep disorder, you’re better off seeing a specialist. And so on.

Assuming you don’t have any outstanding sleep issues, we can move on. You don’t need to have a perfect sleep schedule or practice deep meditation; we just need to make sure there are no serious and obvious reasons why you can’t sleep well.

To get the most out of success as a sleep aid, we need to target something: 1) You will worry about as long as it remains incomplete, 2) that can actually be handled by you, and 3) You can get it done before sleeping.

Don’t keep yourself up all night because you can’t achieve world peace. In fact, don’t keep yourself up because you can’t achieve peace with one other person. If you can’t do something about it, you shouldn’t worry about it, even if it is important. Also, unless you have been putting them off for a while, doing repeating routine tasks like cleaning won’t help you feel successful. And if your success is completing a large project, you will need to break it up into smaller measurable parts so you can claim to have finished different sections each night.

So Where’s the Secret?

Ha ha, you got me. There is really no secret here, except to stop worrying and do some work every so often. But surprisingly, these are not considered tips for better sleep. When people think of relaxation they think of not doing anything, of lounging around watching TV or eating junk food. Having done that many times, I have come to the conclusion that this method of “recovery” is anything but. Meanwhile, their worries come out to grow in the fertile field of our minds.

So to recap, to get better sleep:

1. Make sure you are not suffering from actual sleep-depriving issues, whether external or internal to you. If you can do something about them then work on them first. Plus, handling them will probably count as success, helping you sleep better!
2. Have something in mind to accomplish. It’s best if this is something important, long term, and long overdue. Your subconscious will thank you for finally taking on that task it has been working on all this time. If it is a big project, pick a part of it to focus on, something you can do today.
3. When you are done with it, don’t go to bed thinking about the next step of the project, or the next unfinished task at hand. Write those down instead. A journal could be handy here, or a task list. Either way, as long as you finished today’s problem today, there is no need to handle tomorrow’s problem today as well.
4. If you are too busy to work on some long-incomplete task, then whatever you are working on is the task at hand. Life goes on for most of us, so we will have to deal with life’s problems when they come. Complete them, and be satisfied you handled them well.

I Hope We All Have Sweet Dreams

Well, that’s it for me! I finally finished a blog post, after nearly a month of neglect. Hopefully this means I can sleep with a clear mind and sound heart. I could use the sleep. This cold and fever is really getting to me, and I need to stop this downward spiral of ill health somewhere. I sincerely hope this will help you, and if you have any questions (or doubts), then by all means comment.

I took that phrase from C.S. Lewis’ book “The Screwtape Letters”, where it is explained that we all travel towards the future at the rate of 60 minutes per hour. Looking at our present moments, many of us are willing to bet that it definitely doesn’t feel that way. Of course it doesn’t. We are all rather poor at estimating how much time passes. Heck, even our perceptions of time not only differ from person to person, but even change according to circumstances. We have all noticed that time seems to slow down when we want it to go faster. The last five minutes before the final school bell rings are the longest ones – at least, if you are bored out of your mind. On the other hand, when you are having fun, the time seems to fly by.

(Speaking of which, why is it phrased as time “flying” by? Is it because that is the quickest method of transportation that can be imagined? Or does it just sound better than time “driving” by, or time “rocketing” by?)

So we all progress into the future at 60 minutes per hour. I could say 24 hours per day or 7 days a week, but 60 minutes per hour has that familiar look, similar to a speed limit, say 60 miles per hour. And this is important, because whether we are moving or sitting still we are travelling somewhere, whether or not we want to.

Journeys Take Time

For some people, this is fine, though for others it is unacceptable. Yet this is the human condition, to be bounded by time. For example, to go on a journey means to take the time to travel from one destination to another. We look at a map and decide where to go, and figure out how long it will take to get there, then we pick our method of transportation. The task at hand becomes a multi-dimensional task, in space and in time.

It doesn’t matter if we’re bored, or tired, or annoyed, or excited, or happy, since we want to get to a place at a certain time. So we could be trudging down a dirt path with sore feet and a bent back, but still travel at 60 minutes per hour. We could also be sitting down taking a break and travelling at 60 minutes per hour. By resting instead of moving, some may say that we are wasting time. But how can we waste time when we all go through it at the same pace?

“Life is a journey” is an often-repeated saying. I mentioned it last week. But not only did we not choose it, we have no control of the “speed” at which we go through it. Unless you die, you have no choice but to go through the trip. You might do nothing but eat and sleep, but you still have a life to live. Does this bring us any hope? It should.

“Time” Management

Since we are all travelling at the same rate through time, we only have to work on what we actually do in that time. There is no need to worry about saving time, about time management, about scheduling time, about wasting time. All these attempts to control time are really just about deciding what actions to take. Setting things for the future just means we either cannot do anything about them yet, or more likely with many of us, do not want to do anything about them just yet.

This is simple to imagine when procrastinating. We allocate all the work to our future selves, not truly understanding that our “future self” is just us having not yet travelled that far into the future. If we do not change anything about ourselves now we will not be any different if we travel at 60 minutes per hour into the future, so why even try to delay the action? Why not just admit you do not want to do it?

But we probably have to do these things, though we do not want to do them now. So we make excuses and plan out our time and manage our workloads. But by doing that we ignore the present for the future. Really, when we think about it, all we have is the present. Some people say that it is not good to be in the present moment, or to live for the present. Certainly, if you live as if only the present matters, then you may not be ready for the future. However, if you only think about the future you will not focus on the present and the actions you could take now.

Let us be honest, unless you have a vacation coming up when you think about the future you are thinking about future problems. On the other hand, to go about your day always thinking that the future will be better without clear goals and a plan may not help you either.

Living IN the Present

So we should use our present moments better? Yes, but to be more clear, using our present moments better does not have to mean always working. If we are doing something, then we should focus on it. If we are presently enjoying life, hanging out with friends, playing games, or reading a good book, then we should keep our attentions on those things, not worrying about what the future will hold.

Of course, there are many things people have to worry about, like having to pick up someone at a certain time, or making it to an appointment. The idea is once we know what we need to do, we should not have our heads stuck in the future while the rest of our being is living in the present. I think that would be a horrible way of living life. I know it definitely would be a poor way to go on a journey. Imaging going for a long walk and just thinking about where you will stop for lunch and if there will be a place to sit and if your feet will be okay and if it will rain or not. I cannot imagine spending all that time outside and coming away with nothing. I could have worried about all of those things without even leaving my house.

Of course, you would not have worried about those things if you stayed at home, but if you were going to leave it than you should either be ready or place your trust in something besides an unknown future, though whether you place your trust in God or fate or your abilities and skills and knowledge is up to you.

Worrying About the Future Exposes You to Problems

Worrying about the future opens you up to problems. Besides the fact that you will have a problem focusing on the present, you will be spending your 60 minutes an hour on things that do not exist. You might say, “Not yet, anyways” but unless those things will actually happen, then why worry about them? While we do want to do things in the present in order to prepare for the future, just the act of worrying and thinking about the future AS IF it were already here is not conductive to a good life.

People like to go faster, travel faster, move faster, work faster. Some people like the thrill of moving quickly, while others like the fact that we can get more done. When we break down speed it just means distance over time. So moving faster is getting further over the same period of time. Working faster is getting more done over the same period of time.

But what if I said that for many things in our lives, people do not want to get more done for a period of time, but to spend less time on those things while spending more time on other, more important things? It makes sense. Not everyone likes the work they do. They would rather be somewhere else than at work. And it is not like they can spend less time there. They have to work 9-5, so working faster would not do anything to alleviate the condition of being at work. This is unfortunate, but it is also a fact of life.

People Without a Future

Just imagine your whole history was erased, and your existing commitments demolished. The future is still coming at the rate of 60 minutes per hour, but now there is no future. I think many of us moderns would go insane at the idea. What should I be doing? What plans do I need to create? I think it would be maddening for some people not to know the future. But interestingly enough, there are a large number of people living in the world right now who do not have a “future”. As in, they do not really imagine a future, whether it is good or bad. They do not live for the future. They just live.

These people are children. Children usually do not worry about the future, unless they have a reason to worry, for example an upcoming test. Conversely, they do not go around imaging wonderful futures for themselves, unless they are told they will be going to Disney World next week. Despite not really thinking about the future, these subset of people get along just fine. They learn quickly and are quite absorbed in what they are doing in the present moment, sometimes to the detriment of their caretakers. They could be focusing on that video game way too hard, but on the bright side, they might concentrate on doing their homework or their karate form or their musical piece with the same focus and determination.

Peering Into the Future

Children are really curious in that regard, and I do not think it is solely because they do not know that they have to be worried about the future. Of course, they do not have bills to pay or jobs to keep or children to feed. But there is something about how they just play and read and eat and live that is all in the moment. Everything they do is in the present moment, though as they grow older you can begin to see how thoughts about the future affect their state of mind.

A boy might wonder if a girl will say yes if he invites her to a dance. A girl may wonder if she will have a high enough mark to be accepted to university. A youngster may fear the next day of school because a bully is always waiting for him. I do not think looking into the future is natural for people, despite the fact we do it all the time. Conversely, enjoying the present moment should be natural, but the action has been rendered weak by our lack of practice.

The Future is Heaven or Hell

We should focus in on the present moment. We have all heard that before. There is another lesson here which may be a bit harder to digest, but it goes like this: Stop treating the future as a fantasy land. Our worries stretch out and magnify our grievances; likewise our dreams expand our hopes. In the future anything is possible, but compared to our present existences the future represents heaven and hell.

And it does not have to be the real Heaven and Hell either. It can just be the things we like or dislike magnified by uncertainty and enhanced by our imaginations to represent our views on the most wonderful place and the worst place for each of us. To avoid suffering in our personal hells we should pay attention to our present moments. To avoid being disappointed by our hopes of our personal heavens we should also pay attention to our present moments. Like it or not, the future will come anyways, at the rate of 60 minutes per hour.

Random Remarks

This post is a bit chaotic and yet repetitious because I wrote it using The Most Dangerous Writing App. I think I discovered it while searching up methods of improving one’s writing skills. Give it a whirl if you would like to try your hand at writing.

You are forced to keep writing. If you stop typing for longer than 5 seconds all of your progress is erased. You set a timer or a word count so what you write can be saved after you reached your goal. While I think it is more useful for creative writing I have been putting it to use for other purposes. Like this here blog post for starters. Though I do not think it is good I at least wrote more than 1,500 words on this topic. Especially without degenerating into mumbling often repeated platitudes about “time is money” and “haste makes waste” and so forth. So give it a try!