Post-finals life and Mario Kart
It is done. Winter semester has melted away. I took my last final at 7:00 this morning, then sold back a few of my textbooks (most of them only sold for $2 or $3, to my surprise and mild disappointment) and bought my books for spring term. Even though I'm quite happy to be done with school, at the same time I really can't wait to start spring term.
Anyway, yesterday I read the first few chapters of the second Harry Potter book and was playing Mario Kart with my roommate when I realized that I was wasting my time. Reading is a wonderful activity, of course, and I'm the first to champion books, but Harry Potter lost its appeal very quickly. I'm not exactly sure why, but I suspect it has something to do with the steeped-in-magic atmosphere. I do enjoy fantasy on occasion (Lewis's Narnia series is spectacular, as is Tolkien's LOTR), but I'm finding that since my mission my tastes have turned almost entirely toward realism. There's so much beauty and grandeur in plain, simple life; I don't need any fantasy worlds to find satisfaction. Being content with what God has given us in its infinite splendor seems a better path.
As for Mario Kart, at first I thought it was just a harmless diversion to keep me from burning out during finals. But the more I played it (a handful of times this week), the more dissatisfied I became. I kept thinking of other, more important things I could be doing -- writing letters to those I served with in Thailand, reading good books (like Jane Eyre, which I started a few weeks ago), making cookies for our neighbors, calling a friend, etc. The words of Isaiah in 2 Nephi 9:51 repeatedly returned to my mind: "Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy." More and more I'm realizing that the world's attempts to create happiness are hollow, absolutely nothing in comparison to the rich, deep reality which God offers. Even things that I before thought were neutral have proven to be a waste of time. I don't know that it's because they're evil, of course -- probably not -- but the main thing for me is that God's gifts are so much better. Why spend time on things that don't make me happy? In living the gospel and appreciating reality and the world he's given us, I really am happy.
Wow, I wasn't expecting all this to come out. :) I suppose it's a result of spending more time at the MTC (I now volunteer there twice a week) and a few other things that have happened in my life. I'm glad God often reminds me of what's important in life, because it's so easy to be distracted, like little kids getting near the end of a race and then seeing some candy off to the side and forgetting that the race even exists.
Anyway, yesterday I read the first few chapters of the second Harry Potter book and was playing Mario Kart with my roommate when I realized that I was wasting my time. Reading is a wonderful activity, of course, and I'm the first to champion books, but Harry Potter lost its appeal very quickly. I'm not exactly sure why, but I suspect it has something to do with the steeped-in-magic atmosphere. I do enjoy fantasy on occasion (Lewis's Narnia series is spectacular, as is Tolkien's LOTR), but I'm finding that since my mission my tastes have turned almost entirely toward realism. There's so much beauty and grandeur in plain, simple life; I don't need any fantasy worlds to find satisfaction. Being content with what God has given us in its infinite splendor seems a better path.
As for Mario Kart, at first I thought it was just a harmless diversion to keep me from burning out during finals. But the more I played it (a handful of times this week), the more dissatisfied I became. I kept thinking of other, more important things I could be doing -- writing letters to those I served with in Thailand, reading good books (like Jane Eyre, which I started a few weeks ago), making cookies for our neighbors, calling a friend, etc. The words of Isaiah in 2 Nephi 9:51 repeatedly returned to my mind: "Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy." More and more I'm realizing that the world's attempts to create happiness are hollow, absolutely nothing in comparison to the rich, deep reality which God offers. Even things that I before thought were neutral have proven to be a waste of time. I don't know that it's because they're evil, of course -- probably not -- but the main thing for me is that God's gifts are so much better. Why spend time on things that don't make me happy? In living the gospel and appreciating reality and the world he's given us, I really am happy.
Wow, I wasn't expecting all this to come out. :) I suppose it's a result of spending more time at the MTC (I now volunteer there twice a week) and a few other things that have happened in my life. I'm glad God often reminds me of what's important in life, because it's so easy to be distracted, like little kids getting near the end of a race and then seeing some candy off to the side and forgetting that the race even exists.
posted by Ben at 8:32 AM
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