When I was a kid, there wasn't much that was much more exciting than the end of the school year and the promise of an endless summer. There was so much to do back then and I was part of the generation that was told to go outside and play if the weather was nice. We only came back in for meals and if I went back into the house I was asked what I wanted and why wasn't I playing outside, We had a playground down the street and I spent many happy hours there. At home we played board games, cards, swam in the pool in the backyard and had plenty of time with friends. What could be better? Well, by August, things started to get a bit routine and boredom set in. It seemed like there was nothing to do, but in reality there was plenty. I just didn't want to do what was available. I have a sister and a brother and my mother wasn't going to amuse us so I realized that it was up to us to figure out what to do to keep ourselves occupied. That's when the benefits of boredom surfaced.
As summer progressed, we kids had to come up with a plan, use our imagination, and depend on our inner resources and ability to make choices to alleviate our boredom. I think that the skills I developed on those long summer days have served me well and they certainly come in handy on long fibro days at home. I am comfortable being by myself and if I can spend a day outside, in one way or another, I am a happy person. I developed a love of reading as a kid and I made regular visits to the library. By the time I was ten or so, I was walking to our local library with my sister or a friend and I hungrily devoured the books I brought home. I loved to make things and there was a spot on the side of the house that was shaded in the afternoon and it was a great spot to put down a blanket and do little projects, play games or read. I found things to do when I had to.
Boredom can be a stressor and I certainly don't need any more of those. But I have to say that my childhood summers with plenty of unstructured time, prepared me to trust my inner resources and to develop lots of interests. So, it isn't often that I become bored, but it does happen. There are days that I don't have much energy for searching out things to keep my mind occupied and there are certainly days that have that end of summer feel when there is "nothing to do". But just like when I was a kid, I can come up with a plan and find a way to use my resources to create some interest. So, on a day like today, I read a while, watched a bit of TV, visited at the nursing home, and sat outside in the back yard, enjoying the summer day. The summer goes by so fast that I don't want to miss an opportunity to enjoy it. I didn't do anything particularly exciting, but my mind was active and I felt satisfied with having spent a summer day without feeling bored at all.
As summer progressed, we kids had to come up with a plan, use our imagination, and depend on our inner resources and ability to make choices to alleviate our boredom. I think that the skills I developed on those long summer days have served me well and they certainly come in handy on long fibro days at home. I am comfortable being by myself and if I can spend a day outside, in one way or another, I am a happy person. I developed a love of reading as a kid and I made regular visits to the library. By the time I was ten or so, I was walking to our local library with my sister or a friend and I hungrily devoured the books I brought home. I loved to make things and there was a spot on the side of the house that was shaded in the afternoon and it was a great spot to put down a blanket and do little projects, play games or read. I found things to do when I had to.
Boredom can be a stressor and I certainly don't need any more of those. But I have to say that my childhood summers with plenty of unstructured time, prepared me to trust my inner resources and to develop lots of interests. So, it isn't often that I become bored, but it does happen. There are days that I don't have much energy for searching out things to keep my mind occupied and there are certainly days that have that end of summer feel when there is "nothing to do". But just like when I was a kid, I can come up with a plan and find a way to use my resources to create some interest. So, on a day like today, I read a while, watched a bit of TV, visited at the nursing home, and sat outside in the back yard, enjoying the summer day. The summer goes by so fast that I don't want to miss an opportunity to enjoy it. I didn't do anything particularly exciting, but my mind was active and I felt satisfied with having spent a summer day without feeling bored at all.
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