221226 What I learned in my studies this morning 3

Making progress through
Examination of self,

Of patterns inside.

Daily Stoic:

"Life is long enough . . . if we spend it well."  I've mentioned this quote often in these pages.

Add to it the second part: "We don't receive a short life, we make it so."

How do I waste my time?  Watching TV is an obvious one.  Driving in traffic, sometimes.  Being lazy.

These don't have to be wasted times.  The same 'action' with different circumstances can be worthy.

Watching sports with my son can be a bonding experience. A teaching time to show him strategy and teamwork, perseverance and determination. A time watching all-time performances.

Driving in traffic allows me to listen to audiobooks. Sometimes novels. Oftentimes philosophy or history or psychology.

Being lazy can be productive if it is needed.  Recuperation from illness, for example.  But, if I'm not taking a break from exertion, mental or physical, and I'm just using downtime to further my indolence, that's a time I'm wasting life.

What about wasting time during activity?  Performing a task for someone when I should have said no in the first place.  'Throwing good (time) after bad' by continuing to pursue a lost or unprofitable cause.  Finishing a dish when I'm already full just because it tastes good or, worse, because I 'don't want to waste food.'

What are the warning signs that I'm wasting some portion of my life?  Habit is a good one.  Am I doing this because I should or because I always do this?

Expectations is another.  Am I doing this because I should or because I agreed to a foolish thing?

And laziness, of course. Am I (not) doing this because I should (not) or because I can't be bothered to get off my ass?

There's more to uncover here....

Today's Meditation:

Today's Meditation II:

Today's Music:

Stabat mater by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi