The art of boredom

Life gets monotonous. That, my friends, is a truth. Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, whomever you’re with, life will become routine, boring. The borders of your life will begin to feel like bars of a cage, or the walls of a cubicle, especially if you're in one.

Perhaps the best way to enjoy such a life is to make art from it. Look anew at those things that you find stale and uninteresting and find the beauty, the humor, the stories beneath the stagnation. That is what the greats do.

I was reminded of this while listening to a free podcast called “The News From Lake Wobegon.” They are a weekly series of narrations from Garrison Keller, who draws on his long experience in America’s middle to craft simple and entertaining stories cherished by thousands. His subject matter is as mundane as it comes. But he makes art from it.

I am challenging myself over the next few days and weeks to find the art in my routines, my relationships, those areas of my life that taste stale. I dare you to do the same.

So what is art? Art is the transcendence in our lives. Art is the point at which the everyday holds hands with the eternal. Look for it long enough, even in your life, and you will find it.