The pricelessness of unstructured time
I enjoyed reading a well-written perspective on time, boredom, regret, and the appreciation of time to oneself from Mark, at Soul Shelter. His post is about Charles Lamb’s (1775-1834) book The Superannuated Man.
I’ve always valued unstructured time. I was twenty when I aimlessly wandered around Western Europe for several months. And I mean aimless as a good thing. I had no agenda, little money, but lots of time. It was an open-ended adventure.
I remember seeing exhausted vacationing Americans with Eurail passes hell-bent on “seeing” the sights in as short a time as possible. They had a different concept of time from me. Valuing time has had its costs, but unlike Lamb’s regret for a life confined to a desk, I feel the cost has been so worthwhile.
Before reading Mark’s post, I was only aware of Charles Lamb through his quotes. His advice to his contemporary, Coleridge: “Cultivate simplicity.” Despite Lamb’s life of drudgery, he had his moments of levity:
“If ever I marry a wife,
I’ll marry a landlord’s daughter,
For then I may sit in the bar,
And drink cold brandy and water.”
Lamb suffered time poverty. With only one day a week off and one week a year to recuperate, he had almost no leisure until he reached 50. After the initial shock, he wasn’t sure what to do with his leisure when it arrived. What a shame to look forward to retirement only to be disappointed when it arrives. Slowing down is a skill that needs to be cultivated if it is to be enjoyed.
I’ve added The Superannuated Man, to my book list, but I have no idea when I’ll find the time to read it.