Human activity. Motion. Moving from place to place, or even at times spinning one’s wheels, but gotta have that movement. The discomfort of inactivity. The pain of rest.
I am accused by some in my family of being a cynic. Perhaps I am. I have often and regularly said to myself and others, “Why do we have to keep going here or there? Let’s stand still for a while. Let’s see what or who comes to us.”
Last night, my wife and I were at a quaint coffee shop to have a light supper and listen to some live music. Music was pretty good… country, bluegrass and folk music. Food was okay, even though they forgot to bring me the chili I had ordered. My attention though repeatedly was turned to a man at the next table, staring at his laptop. His eyes were tired and wide. His right leg constantly was jiggling up and down. He was scribbling numbers on his tablet as he scoured the Internet. I suspect he was doing some online trading. After a couple of hours, he began looking at, well…. ahem, let’s just say photographs he probably wouldn’t want a cleric to see.
He couldn’t be still. His mind undoubtedly was a whirl of motion, activity, just as his body was as he sipped one Mellow Yellow after another, scribbled and wrote and jiggled.
The Second Vatican Council wrote in Gaudium et Spes, “Human activity, since it derives from man, is ordered to man. Man, in fact, when he works, not only modifies things and society, but also perfects himself.” GS 35
Which leaves me with the question, “Is our incessant activity oriented toward perfecting ourselves and others, or does it lead to our degradation and diminishment?”
I fear the latter is too often the case.
