To Be Lost in Thought Is Not to Be Lost At All
Thinking is a lost art for many people. Thinking requires time and space, of which most of us are in short supply.
We exist in a state of controlled chaos. Putting out fires at work. Chasing after our kids. Navigating pedestrians, bikers, trucks and other drivers as we scurry about our errands. Keeping up with Instagram and TikTok and multiple group chats. Pandemonium lurks behind every corner.
That leaves little room for serious thought. And like any muscle, our mind atrophies with too little use.
It’s not just our busyness holding us back. It’s the perception that if you’re not moving your losing. That if you’re not on the go 24/7 you’re doing it wrong. Worst of all, that free time is wasted time — conflating the two is one of the biggest tragedies of the modern era.
We look strangely at those deep in thought. We avoid the old man staring up at the sky on the park bench. We assume the young woman on the train sitting in silence is a weirdo — no music, no book, no iPad? What’s up with that?
There’s a reason we label them as “being lost in thought.” We ascribe it as abnormal behavior. To be lost is to be misplaced, off-track.
Being “lost in thought” is not to be lost at all.
Being lost in thought is to appreciate the beauty of the world around us. Never is something more compelling than when we’re free of distraction. I enjoy long runs in the forest. The scenery is beautiful but the silence is exquisite. I can actually hear myself think. My mind goes to some wonderful places.
Being lost in thought is to take time for ourselves. There’s only one occupant inside our minds but with the noise of everyday life it seems like many. Thinking critically calms the external voices driving us mad. It allows us to connect with ourselves in a manner that isn’t fleeting or cursory. It is during times of deep thought that I’ve learned the most about who I am and what I believe.
Being lost in thought is to overcome the challenges we face. When we direct all our energy to solving a problem we can’t help but come to a better solution than if we were to only direct some. Critical thinking provides the framework necessary to come to such a solution.
Being lost in thought is to stay in the present moment. Humanity is plagued by anxiety, by fear of the future, fear of what’s to come. Wouldn’t it be nice to find reprieve from such a fate?
We’ve been given a great gift — the gift of thought. Perhaps the greatest gift anyone has ever received in this universe or any other.
I encourage you to use it.
