NOTHING...
“What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of 'nothing'.” - Oscar Wilde
Often in life, to escape from the fast-paced & hectic times - we seek break from our work. Student's seek a closure from studies, working people seek vacations and so on. We're in constant search of keeping us busy - mentally. When the work becomes too overwhelming, it squeal's for a break. The break might include serene/tranquil walks, moments, or sheer good-tight-sleep!
The 90's hugely successful sitcom, 'Seinfeld', was based on the philosophy of 'nothing'. The show depicted the miserable lives of 4 friends & how they discussed things as little as their tooth-brushes to as big as TV-projects, in a comical manner. But ultimately it was about nothing - no story, no learning. There come's a period where we get fed up from being 'free'. As is said about the brain & heart - they never sleep. Even if there is nothing to do, see, feel, smell, taste - our brain constantly works on the sheer boredom it experiences. The mind constantly fabricates the aspects of not doing 'nothing'. One often sit's & stares at things, subconsciously thinking about nothing. Gradually this thinking takes over & motivates the person to either do something or, as is always preferred, go to sleep. There linger's a void that is created due to non-production. Our mind works in two ways, creatively & productively. The relationship between them is that of demand-supply. Inability to be creative may not necessarily lead to 'nothing' black-hole. But it's true that our brain longs for being creative - in any way. I would like to describe boredom as the flame of a candle, dancing on the simple 'motion' of wind. Our mind too is like that flame. Whenever a human being is asked to enter a room - his first instinct is to have a look at the surroundings i.e. the walls, the color on the walls, the accessories used in decorating the walls etc. Our brain is stagnated without work & therefore, the waves of time seems to be ceased to flow. Only 'nothing' remains without change, everything else changes.
“To do nothing at all is the most difficult thing in the world, the most difficult and the most intellectual” - Oscar Wilde
It is proven, psychologically, that a person no matter how strong(emotionally), possesses a point where he ultimately breaks up due to the lack of information for the brain to process. People can think ill of other's only when they choose to sabotage their brain i.e. only when they've nothing else to do. However, before a person begins to get un-ethical thoughts, his/her brain initially acknowledges every tiny detail that the person comes across. We might not notice a spot on something until we actually observe it. We have everything we need to learn if we just observe & mind our own surroundings. Usually the wave of 'nothing' cripples the person. When 'it' takes 'over' the person - that's where the countdown to be sane again, begins. When we have 'nothing', our mind goes for 'anything' meaning that it processes not just the details of the surroundings but also digs up old memories & begins to analyze them. In fact, the science of nothing is just a refinement of everyday thinking! Nothing pains some people more than having to think.
Vacation's are never hard, it's the aftermath of it that takes efforts because our mind cannot make 'that' transition of being in 'hibernation' mode to the 'go' mode, so smoothly. But once our mind is fed with something that is obscure or discombobulating in nature - our mind tends to pay immediate & complete attention to make it clear. This is the reason why majority of people can't learn how to tie knot's just by watching it on TV or by listening about it on radio/phone. Our mind is the most childish part of our body & thus it craves for the simplest of details as possible. Simplicity is what our brain demands for and nothing is as simple as just sitting or lying on bed with nothing to do, thus our eyes see what it missed earlier.
I know, this post might seem a little cryptic & alchemist-ic in nature but once it's read during the days of boredom - you'll understand what I wanted to say.
"Nothing is permanent." - Buddha
