I was recently asked, “What is something you find difficult in your life?” One of the many answers I didn’t voice was, “Boredom!” It takes an incredible amount of discipline to do the mundane things that need to be done each day. Those things like laundry, driving in traffic, status reports, dishes … you name it. All those things that have to get done regularly or the world spins into chaos.
When we were kids and complained to my parents, “I’m bored!” We got chores to do. We eventually learned to entertain ourselves because we did not like the alternative. This is just like work today. However, there we call it “looking for a new challenge”, “looking for a stretch assignment”, “have time available”, etc. At work though, you need to hint around with purposeful intent to the right people or the alternatives can be even worse than weeding the rose bushes on a hot day.
When things are slow, the adult/grown-up part of me tries very hard to work all those “back-log” tasks that have been on my task list forever. You never know when the next fire will start, so might as well get something done. But let’s face it – your backlog tasks weren’t that interesting in the first place. That’s why they are in the backlog pile. This is true at work and at home.
When life is peaceful, I try hard to show Heavenly Father my appreciation for the peace in my life by working the backlog/deep cleaning tasks. But alas, the child in me is so bored that a little part of me is dying on the inside. And there still isn’t enough time to do the new things I want to do, just enough reduced stress to be bored while doing the things I HAVE to do each day. BUSY does not mean INTERESTING.
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And the worst part is, boredom gets me into trouble. That trouble you stir up for yourself by having too many new ideas and over-committing to yourself or others (or sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong), and then you fail or walk yourself right into new drama.
Aggggh! So here’s to boredom! May I endure it well, however long it lasts. May I be patient in my new affliction for this recurrence. May I not cause undue drama in my life because I have nothing better to do. May I clear out the backlog at home and at work before the next fire lands on my plate. May I carefully consider the next challenge I volunteer for before it kills me. May I appreciate the balance and peace that is mine in this fleeting moment for I know it won’t last long.
Molly is on a life long quest to figure herself out. Born to be and educated as an aerospace engineer she is also blessed to be a wife and a mom of two in the present, previously served as a full-time missionary, is consistently called to teach the youth in her ward, is eagerly though slowly doing home improvement as money and time allow, all while gradually learning how to be herself and find peace and balance somewhere in between.
Despite her attempts to make “the right” decisions in her life, she has learned to deal with some unexpected challenges over the last two decades. Total tornadoes, really. What she has discovered is that her career has taught her a lot about the Gospel and being a better mother, and the Gospel, when applied to challenges at the office, has made her a better professional. She has also learned that it is okay to be herself, and God still loves (and forgives) her for it.
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