The Power Of Solitude
Herman Melville's classic, Moby Dick, portrays the whaling industry of
his time. In today's world, his book may likely upset readers who
share more enlightened attitudes about the use and abuse of animals.
But a scene in the story can teach us even today something about the
power of solitude and focus in daily life.
Melville gives us a turbulent scene in which a whaleboat scuds across
a frothing ocean in pursuit of the great white whale. The sailors are
laboring to keep the vessel on course in a raging sea, every muscle
taut. They labor furiously as they concentrate on the task at hand. In
Captain Ahab's boat, however, there is one man who does nothing. He
doesn't hold an oar; he doesn't perspire; he doesn't shout. He is
languid - utterly relaxed, quiet and poised. This man is the
harpooner, and his job is to patiently wait for the moment. Then
Melville gives us this sentence: "To insure the greatest efficiency in
the dart, the harpooners of this world must start to their feet out of
idleness, and not out of toil."
What a marvelous picture for effective living! Those who would live
each day to the fullest must prepare for them from a state of idleness
rather than toil. For many people this means a daily period of quiet
and meditation to focus, plan or pray.
Self help expert Brian Tracy calls it an indispensible daily time of
planning and preparation. He suggests that we devote a full hour to
alone time every morning. That is when we set our daily priorities so
that we, and not events, are in charge of our lives.
"I don't have time for that!" some people complain. "My life is simply
too busy to add one more thing to it."
But most people find that a regular period of solitude to chart the
day's course, still the mind, listen and prepare actually creates more
time than it takes. For we are most effective when we start to our
feet out of idleness and not out of toil.
~ Steve Goodier ~
[ by: Steve Goodier -- Copyright © 2010 -- from Steve Goodier (LifeSupport@yahoogroups.com) ]
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