The Mad and The Good

One thing I have learned about being in the midst of mundane, tedious, soul-draining activities is that my mind tends to wander into other worlds that I most likely wouldn't have explored otherwise.

This past weekend, I spent a few lovely days away from my life in southeastern Michigan and explored my former west coast stomping grounds in the vicinity of Grand Haven, which is a quaint beach community perched on Lake Michigan and also located roughly 40 minutes from where I spent my first two years of college at Grand Valley State University.

I drove through the campus for the first time in ten years, and like a sudden jolt from the deepest of slumbers, I returned to August of 1998 when I first came to GVSU. As I drove past the empty sidewalks (it was a holiday weekend), I saw myself walking or biking to class, carrying my backpack, probably running late, a drink in my hand, waving to friends, waving to professors, maneuvering through crowds of hundreds going the opposite direction.

How cool would it be to live like that again?, I thought. But surely at this point, it would be impossible. It is always nice to daydream, however.

How does this relate to the first paragraph of this post? Well....

I began my work day doing the same thing I've been doing for the past three months. It is not worth describing in this post. After having such a refreshing weekend away, this task was much more difficult than usual. So my mind began to wander and I started staring at the wall next to my desk. I remembered how much I loved painting while at college and wondered what it would be like to bring in a painting of my own and hang it on the wall next to my desk.

Nothing I have already done would suffice; I'd have to make something new. Something more "work-appropriate"; but it is an excuse to begin creating again. I thought of what kind of images I'd like to paint, and between my iPod and the bitterness I was fighting off in my brain, I came up with some bizarre ideas that probably wouldn't earn me the "Employee of the Month" award. So I still have to work on that part.

Madness = swirling thoughts = creativity = something you wouldn't have done otherwise = something good for someone (hopefully you).