We often live such
routines, such ruts, that it is like we are sleepwalking through our lives. We
live for the weekends or our days off whenever they are, writing off the work
week. We get up, get dressed, and go through the motions, like zombies
stumbling around. When something out of the ordinary happens, we are startled;
sometimes so much that we feel thrown off balance as though we are following
dance steps laid out on the floor. Suddenly, someone picks up the steps we are
used to following and we may feel lost; out of step. Our rhythm is out of
kilter. There are those that truly like routine; they like to know exactly what
is going to happen and they become upset if their routine is disturbed. But for
most of us, routine is the death of life. It saps our energy and will. It
becomes like a heavy rain that doesn’t stop. After a while, it just beats you
down and breaks your spirit. When things are routine, you don’t have to think
about them. You become mindless. Your mind just goes to sleep. You think of
silly things, if you are even thinking at all. Avoiding routine can be done by
focusing on the simple and remaining mindful of the things that bring us
happiness. This is what defeats routine and a feeling of slow death.
