The Need for Distraction

To walk a woodland and take in its scenes is for me a distraction from the business of daily living. At this time of year I enjoy casting an eye upon the emerging snowdrops or seeing the sight of a dog fox on his wanders. For me these "distractions" help to ground me within the cycles of nature and the seasons, they also remind me of scenes that have always been there to tell us of the natural order of things.

For a while this week I turned on an old portable tv to catch up with immediate news beyond the scenes of nature. As is always the case, I found I was saddened by the events of the world, but after the headlines came an annoyance. I found myself watching the sports round up and seeing an aging footballer promoting the importance of football and the people who make the game. I have no objections to people playing games and searching for a release for a while, but many seem to put such games on a pedestal and hold them in what for me is an overly high regard.

I find it hard to understand this elevation of status because of a game. It seems our desire to seek out distractions from life has taken over and have given way to commercialism and nationalism. These games seem to have taken over as an idealistic way of life and reason for being. Many times I have considered setting up a business to make money from those obsessed with sport, it would be easy enough to come up with a product and business model for an eager market. But I have found the idea uncomfortable, a little like taking money from those who can ill afford it and have not been encouraged to challenge the reasons behind an obsession or pre-conception.

I have a deep love for the nature around me and land in which I live, but there are many abstract issues with the people here and their society that I find hard to stomach. When our basic needs are met by the low cost productions of other nations, we drift into obsessions that in reality are of little value but ultimately seem to give control & wealth to a minority. I suppose some would say that these sports and games encourage team building & community, in its better cases it is perhaps so. With open eyes and minds the people who seek benefit and status from such pass times can easily be revealed. But from what I have seen, many do not wish to dwell on the bigger picture.