An Unexpected Lesson From Mr. Caufield

I’ve been reading Catcher in the Rye, again. That is to say, I’ve just read Catcher and the Rye again, rather. I have should have been done before today, really.

The problem, and I’ve realized this is a recurring theme, is that I just forget what’s important. I’m easily excited, I forget about the bigger picture, if only momentarily. That’s what happened with this Salinger classic. That’s why I didn’t get it finished earlier. I just forget what’s important. I never forget what’s REALLY important. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I have my shit together. I get distracted easily though when it comes to less important things.

I was eating some toast with Nutella, watching MTV Czech when I was blindsided by the memory of the commitment I’d made myself. I resisted at first. I was having a great time lounging about, after all. But I asked myself why I had written it down. I wanted to finish Catcher because I wanted to start a new book and for urgencies sake that book needed to be read quickly because it was non-fiction and therefore immediately pertinent to my life. When I remembered why I had written down the goal or obligation in the first place, I wanted to do it again. I had to take a mental step back from the “incredibly stimulating” reality I had occupied, before the idle thought.

I’m glad I’ve identified the behaviour, that’s a practical first step. Now I just need to work on remembering things better. Maybe it’s just a matter of writing down everything I deem important, and carrying around said written account. That’s a good second step, at the very least. And I already do it, to a large extent. I just forget sometimes, usually once I’m at home.

Anyways, that’s what I observed today, thanks for stopping by. Any insights appreciated, as per usual.

PS: I’ve been listening to these Zig Ziglar tapes, as I alluded to yesterday. I like it when he said everyone should write a book, or what some less ambitious people might call a journal, because I’m doing that. Not that a book necessarily needs to be published.