To Ease the Passing of Time

It’s very hard not to worry when you look at the situation in the Middle East now. Will it escalate to become a major conflict between the United States, Iran, Russia and China? Is this the prelude to World War III and the end of our world? I was tempted to write about this but I decided not to. I have been listening to all kinds of analysts and experts during the last few weeks and they all sound pretty pessimistic. I have also read wonderful thoughts from ordinary people about peace, forgiveness and reconciliation. I thought that my writing about the situation would merely be a reflection of what I have read or heard and that I really did not have anything new, interesting or original to write about this. So, as I was driving alone to the cottage this morning, I decided that I was going to think and write about something else. I forced myself to think about something positive.

The first positive thing that came to my mind as I was driving through the Gatineau Park this morning was that the next ski season is just around the corner. I don’t know how I ended up thinking about this but I started drawing parallels between cross-country skiing and writing. I thought that while one activity is physical and the other intellectual both are beneficial for the mind and the spirit. Here’s why:

Before

Both activities involve planning. Before I go skiing, I have to decide what type of skiing I’m going to do: classic or skating. I have to decide where I’m going to go: an easy or a more challenging trail. I also have to decide what type of wax I’m going to put on my skis according to the temperature and the texture of the snow.

Before I start writing, I have to decide what I’m going to write about and have a general idea of what I’m going to say. I have to put my ideas in order and have somewhat of a plan before I start writing. According to the subject, I must decide what tone I am going to use and how my text will be structured.

Like planning a trip, the preparation for skiing or for writing can be very exciting.

During

After getting warmed up, my heart starts pumping a little faster and I can feel the cold air going through my lunges. I concentrate on my techniques and the terrain, and I forget about everything else. I am in the here and now. It’s an exhilarating feeling.

When I am writing, it’s the same sensation. Just like the fresh air that I inhale and exhale when I am skiing, the ideas keep flowing into my brain to become words, sentences, and paragraphs. And most of all, when I am writing, just like when I am skiing, I am in the here and now. There is no past and there is no future, just the present.

After

When I finish skiing, my body is a little but tired but I feel very good. My spirit is up and I am in a good mood. When I finish writing an article, I feel the same way. I know that by making my brain busy and active, I did something good for my mind and my spirit.

I know that as I am writing this a lot of people on this planet don’t have the chance that I have to do things that make them feel good and happy. They are modern slaves, they are physically or mentally sick, they are addicted to drugs or alcohol, they are caught in a middle of a war, or they feel lonely and desperate because they don’t have anything or anybody to give their life a purpose and a meaning. Even if I sometimes need to take a break from the harsh realities of the world by writing about the things that make me happy, I don't want to stop thinking about them.

To go back to the situation in the Middle East and the possibility of World War III that I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I don't know what to say that has not been said.