Routine and Errands

I have written down a quote. Every now and then I go back and read it as a reminder. Sort of like a recovering alcoholic walking daily through a 12 Step Program. I need affirmation that at least for the moment I am heading in a direction which is best for me.

The quote reads, "Your daily routine has become your drug of choice."

I read this quote and shudder as routine is something which freaks me out beyond imagination. Now as I have matured I have relinquished to some needed routines. It is good that I follow the routine of showing up to school when needed. It is best that I follow the routine rules of driving. Making sure the garbage is taken out is a good routine to maintain as it keeps things running smoothly in an aromatic sense around the home.

However, the idea of simply following a routine because of the age old belief in "it's always been done that way" makes no sense to me. Routine which stops me from thinking, imagining, looking at thing differently, trying a new food, listening to new music, reading a new author, going in a different direction, and the list can go on and on is just like a drug which stifles one from growing...from living.

Which leads me to "errands", a dreaded word associated with my youth. Errands means to me doing something I do not want to do. I base this on as a child, getting into the car with my Dad, pulling out of the driveway, and hearing him grumble, because he had to "run errands". Dad always seemed stressed, not very happy when doing this unfortunate call of duty. This was always out of character with Dad, because he was always an easy going guy and rarely if ever grumbled or complained. So "errands" has become to me that "gateway drug" to even more dangerous, debilitating, addicting drugs of "routine".

A week or so ago I was up way early and with nothing to do was fiddling around on Facebook. As I would soon see, a long time friend of mine separated by many miles and years was also awake doing the same thing.

I typed to him, "Randy, what the hell are you doing up so early?"

As only Randy could so eloquently reply he said, "We will sleep when we are dead and we ain't dead!"

Now that is busting out of routine, and there ain't no errand...ever, which will force me to fall into one!

Here's to living this day and each one to the fullest!