It’s OK to be Bored

There is a growing nemesis in the world today: Boredom. I’m bored, accompanied by a pathetic sigh, is something every parent, teacher, minister, or anyone, really, hates to hear. Boredom has inspired toy designers to figure out ways to occupy children, advertisers to write perfectly, entertaining commercials to keep viewers attention, teachers to plan elaborate lessons, and companies to design apps that “need” to be checked and referenced throughout the day.

I’ve often found myself in fear of boredom as I go throughout my day. In the office waiting room, on the checkout line, on the couch, I’m always sure to have my phone with me. Should I be on my way someplace and forget my phone or a book, I get anxious. What will I do? What will I think about? What will I have to look at? Even in conversations when the discussion fizzles and there is a lull in the chatter I think, Nobody is talking. Oh man, this is so weird. Someone say something, anything. We can’t be this quiet. Maybe I’ll just check my e-mail. This isn’t to say that entertainment and technology are bad things, but we often use them to treat this perceived detraction from our lives that is boredom.

What’s so bad about boredom? Isn’t it in those moments where there is nothing to do or to think about that our minds can wander into some pretty neat places? I think about times I’ve been bored in a classroom, and looked out the window. I’d think, What a nice tree there. I wonder how long it’s been there? Who put it there? Why? I wonder then the leaves will change? What do I want to do with my life when all this if over? Hmm. Or, being on line at a store, Only two more people ahead of me. These shoes are really comfortable. I should have more shoes as comfortable as these are. One more person ahead of me, and her hair is fabulous. I wonder how she did it. I wonder if I could do it? These aren’t profound, or life changing, really, but what’s to say these thoughts aren’t valuable?

I think about these seemingly useless thoughts, and why they are important in our spiritual lives. I realize the importance of boredom when I go to Mass, or when I pray. I’m surely not the only person to ever sit in Mass and be utterly bored, or to go to Adoration and feel no urge to stay with Jesus. I will usually start to shake my leg and stress over everything I could be doing instead of sitting bored at Mass or in prayer, and split out the door as fast as I possibly can. I see boredom in prayer as something I need to run from when, really, I should relish it.

I should cherish the emptiness of my thoughts and let my spiritual imagination wander and grow. Being bored at Mass isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The Mass isn’t there to entertain me. It is an encounter with the living, eternal God, whether I feel like I’m enjoying myself or not. Why not let my mind wander about the windows, the priest’s vestments, the liturgical colors, the holy water fonts, the chalice, the postures, the candles, and the songs. Why not let the things I see, smell, and touch carry my mind to the Lord? Why do I spend my time in adoration trying to figure out spiritual things to think about, or make a list of prayers to do so I don’t get bored there? Why not just sit, and let my mind wander in the presence of the Lord?

I mean, aren’t our best friends the people that we often sit around and do nothing with? Let’s allow Jesus to be that best friend with whom we share our boredom.