Slowing down is not a crime
It was a windy January evening, and as I drove home, adhering to the same rules as four-way stops since the traffic lights were shut down, I paused. This must mean that the power at my house had gone out. For a moment, I panicked. I proceeded to walk into my home and noticed that the hum of the refrigerator had slowly died. My computer had stopped charging. Worst of all, all the lights in my house were dark. However, instead of becoming irritated, I was actually excited. This meant that I was freed, if only for one night, from the constant expectations that our society presents.
Typically, my daily schedule looks like this: wake up, go to zero period at 7:30, then my other classes till 2:25, followed by cross country or track practice, then going home and doing my homework. Although I have, for the most part, learned to balance this schedule, it still feels demanding. I have realized that it is okay to take time to rest and that the expectations thrusted upon high school students are ultimately unrealistic.
However, I also realize that not everyone has adopted these beliefs. I have noticed this on social media, in the form of trends such as “75 hard,” which promotes 75 days straight of discipline and extreme exercise. Our society’s addiction to living at a faster pace is simply a manifestation of the overwhelming nature of life. It is easy to feel that you cannot take a day off, or let yourself rest, all in the name of productivity. But why have we collectively decided that every day must be littered with accomplishments?
There is a saying in Italian, “Dolce far niente.” In English, this means “the sweetness of doing nothing.” I have noticed that I often crave a day of doing absolutely nothing. A day in which I could put off all deadlines, not accomplish anything and truly rest without feeling guilty. However, it seems that no one can handle this and that a power outage seems like the end of the world.
I do acknowledge that the recent power outages were an attempt to reduce fire risk, and I am not at all saying that I do not understand people’s anxieties over this devastation. Considering this, as well as the practical inconveniences that power outages present, I understand why experiencing one feels frustrating. However, as is the case with many other challenges in life, it is helpful to think about the positive side of things. In fact, I found peace in the stillness of my house, devoid of electricity and dark at 5 p.m. While I was surrounded by complete silence and darkness, I realized that I appreciated this rare moment in which everything around me had seemingly come to a pause.
As the lights in my house continued to turn off during the month of January, and as I heard the people around me sigh with frustration, I smiled. There are things in this life that we have no control over, and if the worst of my problems is that I have no power, then I consider myself lucky.
