My Change of Heart

As mentioned in my previous blog, I had announced that I am aspiring to be a writer, amongst other things. For many of my friends, this may come as a surprise, but I have always felt like an old soul in that regard. My guilty pleasure is that I'd rather stay in and read than go out on a Friday night and discuss trivial things over endless beers. The truth is, books and lectures have been highly influential in my life and are imperative to the way that I think. So much so that I love the way words string together, I love the nuances of literature and all the rest.

What I find most interesting about my narrative is how growing up I was under the impression that I did not have the ability to sit for extended periods of time and read at all. It was distasteful to me. I found it to be laborious for so many years, not knowing why. It was not until college that I discovered my new found pleasure when I began taking it upon myself to read books that weren't tied to a curriculum. It is my belief that the education system, as it exists today, has been predicated on molding children into being the perfect worker and instating certain behavioral patterns. I don't believe that creativity or fringe thinking is much of a concern for the education system. This type of modality is destructive towards culture and society as a whole. I believe Mark Twain said it best when he said, "I have never let schooling interfere with my education." This quote has been very seminal ever since and I believe it is even more profound today than when the words were first spoken. Schooling seems to be in direct opposition to this concept of creativity.

Having made such a drastic alteration in how I consume information and think altogether, I have found that many of my interests have changed as well. I find new meaning and life in many different areas and skeletons in some of my old pastimes. Many of my forms of escapism have mutated or vanished, all for the better. I find myself seldom ever watching television or playing video games. On the contrary, I feel exponentially more fulfilled, inspired by nature, and philosophically satisfied.

While I don't believe there is one path for everyone or there is one cure for all, I presume that at some level or another, everyone has stumbled across something that gave new meaning to their life. There is no right answer, it ultimately comes down to self-awareness. On that note, I'm really interested to see what this community thinks...My question is, what is your favorite pastime that not many people know about and why? If you have ever had a similar situation happen to you, please comment below!