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DAVID BENTLEY'S WEEKLY COLUMN |
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LIFE AND FUN
During an interview a 47-year-old opera singer from Finland said, "It’s better to live a short life and have fun than to live a long and stressful life." That remark made me think. Wouldn’t lots of fun lengthen a person’s life expectancy while a stressful life would likely lead to an early death? Where does responsibility fit on the fun and stress spectrum? What part do time and money play? Why would anyone choose stress over fun? Ask most children why they are doing whatever it is that they are doing, and you will likely get one of three answers: it’s fun, someone else made them do it, or they were bored. Ask adults why they do something, and you are likely to hear the words "have to." Everything has become more complicated. We now have classes on every possible topic from how to use the internet to laughing stress away. We used to put pen to paper and mail the result with a stamp. Now we need a computer, access to the internet, and at least one password. Camping trips formerly required a tent, a sleeping bag, some food, a few matches, a hatchet and a pocket knife. Now we need a fully equipped recreational vehicle with a generator to support the refrigerator, stove, television, air conditioner, and battery chargers for laptops and cell phones. With play dates for children and day planners for adults, we attempt to schedule a little fun between all our meetings, classes, social obligations, and chores. Family members catch up with one another at weekly family meetings, and friends promise to get together soon when they see each other at the grocery store. The more I think about it, that opera singer was really onto something. Taxes can wait. I’m going to the beach for a sunset walk and supper at the fire pit. Maybe I’ll see you there.
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SAN JUAN ISLANDER © 2008 |
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