Monday Idling

I took a morning walk to a nearby Starbucks early Monday morning. Outside was a nice idyllic atmosphere; the sun gilded everything, a few cats were on the hunt, and there was little noise except the chirping of some birds.

There was a surprisingly tranquil vibe inside the Starbucks. Two men were quietly reading their books beside an artificial fireplace with no distractions on their tables. It seemed like a reminder of what used to be, the world before smartphones and white collar cubicle jobs. Or maybe it was a reminder of what Monday could potentially be: a world without hustle culture and the “quest for the best.” What a nice way to start a Monday, I thought. In fact if everyone started their Monday by reading in a coffee shop, I’d bet we’d have far fewer issues.

I sat, sipped an espresso, and reflected on my dreams the night before. All seemed still for awhile.

There was no stress in the coffee shop. Stress is very visible and its presence is like a powerful electromagnetic field; you just know when it’s in the air. It’s written on every line, on every face, of the hustlers and botherers of the world: those politicians, pushers, managers, and marketers who never seem to stop prescribing things for you. Yet chronic stress is prescribed in their anti-anxiety meds. Ironically, stress is the harbinger of death. Yet hustle culture says it’s okay to be chronically stressed, because you have to “work for performance.” The only way to espouse this message convincingly is to convince the employee that he or she may somehow live forever. This hoodwink comes in the form of false promises of “security” and “retirement packages.” Indeed, “life security” seems to be the modern world’s version of promises “eternity in heaven.”

No rush hour, no drive-through, no engorging crappy processed food on the way to the office, no 7 am emails. Yes, this Starbucks trip was a glimpse of a better world. Ironic that it occurred in a corporate chain, but still a nice experience.

I approve the routine of these two men who took the time to read their books on Monday morning.

I felt some of the fatigue in my own legs on the walk back. This fatigue was from the 30 miles of running I did over Saturday and Sunday, finally settling in.

The experience made me decide that after this marathon, I’ll do a lot of idling before starting my runs and bike rides again. As far as hustling goes… “I’d rather not.”