Meaningless Activities

According to the Dalai Lama - "Meditation on death cuts off attraction toward transient & meaningless activities".

Well, I try not to think too much about death! I'm all too aware that mine is inching closer. I prefer to focus on living a resonably happy & caring life according to my own moral compass.

I do know about meaningless activities though, especially "distraction technique" to avoid more meaningful things. There are things I hate doing, not exactly meaningless, but not high on my list of priorities - checking my monthly bank statements, renewing / switching annual house & car insurance & energy supplier. In the grand scheme of things these have to be done, but they aren't meaningful. So I do meaningless things to avoid them.

Meaningless activities include tidying cupboards & getting rid of stuff -  sorting & shredding paperwork - I'm very good at all that & do it regularly. I watch too much TV. In my own defence only in the evening & I rarely watch live TV - I record on a PVR & so can avoid adverts & cull programmes I don't like.

The thing is I don't think I could always be doing meaningful things. I just don't think it's possible. I have done various volunteer "jobs" since I retired, but I wouldn't want to do more than I have. I do quite a bit of "research" on the internet & it's good to be well informed about lots of things. But I do wonder whether my "enlightenment" makes much difference to the world. I will die & whatever experience, expertise or knowledge I have will die with me.

But then, maybe that is what a life is - a constant search to be the best that you can in the short space of time that you have. To be meaningful in your own small way.