Monday, October 21, 2013

Balance

Often we try to do "well" or be "outstanding" at something online, whether it be our blog, an online group, or a hobby we talk about. It takes a mature person to weigh the pros and cons, and to remember that being PRESENT for the real people in our lives is more important than impressing online friends. That does NOT mean that we cannot try our best for online things--- I mean, in some cases we get we get real support from online acquaintances, and the price of that support is to be an active member of the group. But we still need to be aware of how our evil inclinations (and pride) can sometimes knock us way out into left field if we are not careful.
   As an example, there is a new geo-cache in our area where they want you sign a special 'honor roll' if you find a cache that has not been found in a year. So I looked and saw that there is such a cache not too far from here. "Gee, I can find that and be on the 'honor roll'!" Then sensibility set in: "Yeah?!?? Did you take a LOOK at that cache page? You'll have to do X,Y, and Z to find that cache. It is NOT a 'park and grab' cache! It will take you several hours to do this! And for WHAT? No extra exercise here, No special scenery. Just an on-line 'honor roll'. And if you waste a morning on this, what will be with the REAL LIFE things that you have to do??"
   I have often said that the hardest choice in life is deciding what you will do today, what tomorrow--- and what, in reality, you will never get to. I mean, when I get to heaven, will anyone care there about how many geocaches I found? Or rather, if I had time for others.
[PS This does NOT mean that geocaching is a total loss of time, or should never be done. Geocaching is a great activity to do with kids. And it can help you find interesting places to do your next exercise walk at. And it can make that walk a bit more challenging and fun. I am speaking above about when we let any extra activity- or online computer groups take over our lives too much.]

3 comments:

Batya said...

I'm not quite sure what these "caches" are. But in general the only thing that is supposed to control our lives is the Torah, G-d's commandments, Judaism. It should "color" all that we do.

Rickismom said...

Batya, I am talking about "geocaching", a global "hide and seek" game. I use it to find new places to walk, and to add some interest to a walk in an area (like the yarkon) where I have already walked innumerable times

Anonymous said...

As you give this article title "BALANCE", this is the keyword!
There are two side. One is to hide and others to find a cache. My question why hide a cache? What would you like to express throw it? For me it can be a funny cache in my town or about some important historic event, maybe need some brain exercise (or lucky) to find it, sometimes it can give me a weekend trip to a nice hided spring that nobody know and sometimes it can be a very little nano one that I don't understand why somebody hided there (maybe it is her/his first hide).
To find an old cache that nobody find it for a long time it is like a FTF (or more). You will find the power of nature on this cache under stones, sand and tree leaves. I'm sure you will feel a great excitement at that moment!
Have a Good (cache) Hunting!!!