I’m bored! I hear this so often between kids, teens and 20-somethings.
What has happened to life that we have to be entertained 24-7 or otherwise we
truly believe that we have ceased to exist? I was at a park with a five-year
old little girl who is very outspoken. She had the attention of one of our
college interns for an hour but after they finished playing on the swings and
slide I hear this from her in the van on the way home, ‘I’M BORED!’ Who in the
world taught her this concept that when you don’t get instant gratification
then boredom takes over and is equivalent to dying.
What happened to life having real adventure and excitement
that isn’t generated by an electronic device or going to some overrated and too
pricey amusement park? One of the most incredible gifts my wife has taught me
over the years is the beauty of using your imagination. Whatever happened to
dreaming and being able to entertain yourself or your friends without breaking
the piggy bank?
What type of transformation has to take place for someone to
be motivated enough to stop complaining and saying I’m bored and instead become
a trailblazer? So what if my kid or teens comes home totally dirty if I know
that they have been trailblazing in the park or open space? Life would be so
much better if I lived it trailblazing instead of moaning, groaning and saying
I’m bored. I remember the few times that the bored word came out of my mouth as
kid that my mom was so quick to remind me of how fortunate I was and how I had the
ability to do anything I put my mind to.
I know that one of the ultimate fears of parents is having
your kid get lost. I echo, as an adult, one of the guy fears is to be going
somewhere and realize that you are lost and don’t have a clue where you are! What’s
wrong with getting lost once in awhile and discovering a different skill set,
blazing a new trail or actually making new friends? Is it that dangerous to
branch out and actually do something different? The other extreme is to be
content to just be quiet and think or as some would say, ‘CHILL’.
Boredom for our kids can be a byproduct of us parents
choosing to do too much for little Johnny or our teen daughter Susie. We don’t
want them to stress out or be too tired. Yet, my memories as a kid and even now
as an adult is that I live a full life with no time to be bored so when I
eventually get in bed after walking my dogs with my Anne at 11pm I’m ready for
slumber land. Yet, how many teens or
young adults struggle with falling asleep because they didn’t burn any calories
today?
I know what revolutionized the world has always been the
kids, teens and adults who took different paths in life and weren’t afraid of
someone saying, ‘We’ve never done it that way before!’ or I don’t like to eat
Ethiopian or Greek food only to discover that they’ve been missing out! Maybe
it’s time to start paving a new road and invite a few of your bored friends to
join you in life’s adventure.
If you don’t like the road you’re walking then start paving
another one!
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