Wasting Time

I hate putting out energy for something that is going to be wasted time. I look at the costs and benefits of expending energy (emotionally, physically, or financially), and then I make a decision regarding the worth of that choice.

I imagine it might be what creatures in nature think about... picture a squirrel: he's walking along a tree and he sees an acorn at the end of a branch. It's a thin branch and it would take a while to slowly go out to get it. He'd have to watch his balance, the direction of the wind, and be careful for nearby birds. By all accounts, he's doing the right thing by making a careful decision. The impulsive squirrel would run out to get the delicious acorn and fall right out of the tree. However, how long will the squirrel sit there weighing the risks until he makes his decision? He's trying to save time by making safe decisions but in the end is he really wasting time hiding behind fear?

I don't want to waste time afraid of wasting time. I don't want to spend all my time on one side of the branch staring at the acorn. I don't want to look back on my life and take pride in my lack of wounds and scars but only because I spent it weighing the risks and not actually taking any. I don't want to be afraid of falling out of the tree.

I just watched Lars and the Real Girl. It was recommended to me by a psychiatrist friend who said that it spoke well to the idea of meeting people where they are. It seems like we demand others to meet our needs, expectations, and beliefs. But how often do we meet people at the place where they are and just sit with them until they're ready. Do people really know when they are ready to move on in life? Can just being with someone be enough? All philosophical questions aside, the movie was entertaining. I'd recommend it.