What If Enjoying Something Were Reason Enough?

When was the last time you did something for absolutely no reason other than you wanted to? Not because it was good for you, or because you would learn something, accomplish something, or check something off a list.

Just because you felt like it.

Somewhere along the way, it seems we've decided that practically everything we do needs to have a purpose. We read books to learn, take walks to exercise, and pursue hobbies because they're supposed to stimulate our brains, improve our coordination, or perhaps even turn into a little side business.

Can't we just enjoy ourselves?

Even rest has become something we're supposed to accomplish. We need to get enough sleep so we can be productive tomorrow. We meditate to improve our focus, and we take vacations to recharge our batteries so we can return to work and get more done.

Apparently, even doing nothing needs a good reason.

And I'm wondering when we decided that simply enjoying our lives wasn't reason enough.

Think about the things you loved doing as a child. Maybe you spent hours drawing pictures, riding your bicycle, playing with friends, or lying in the grass watching clouds float by. You probably weren't thinking about what you were accomplishing or whether any of those activities would benefit you in the future.

You were simply enjoying yourself.

Of course, we grow up. We have responsibilities, obligations, and people who depend on us. I'm certainly not suggesting we abandon those things. But somewhere between childhood and adulthood, I wonder if many of us lost the ability to do something simply because it brings us pleasure, without feeling that we should be doing something more worthwhile instead.

And now, as we move toward winter, nature is offering us a beautiful reminder. The trees have spent months growing, flowering, producing leaves and fruit, and doing all the things trees do. Now they're preparing to rest. They're not worried about whether they're making good use of their time or wondering if they should squeeze in one more project before spring. They're simply following the natural rhythm of life.

Perhaps we could learn something from that.

We don't have to fill every available moment or turn every interest into an accomplishment. We don't have to make every quiet afternoon an opportunity for self-improvement. Sometimes we can read a book simply because it's a wonderful story, take a walk because the air feels good, or spend an afternoon doing something that serves absolutely no practical purpose whatsoever.

Or we can do nothing at all. Imagine that!

As the days grow shorter and nature settles into its season of rest, perhaps we can give ourselves permission to slow down a little, too. Not because resting will make us more productive later, but because we are allowed to enjoy our lives without constantly measuring what we're getting done.

And maybe, instead of asking ourselves what we accomplished today, we could occasionally ask a different question:

Did I enjoy my life today?

Because surely that's worth something.

In fact, I think it's worth quite a lot.