This weekend I indulged and still am indulging in some much needed escapism. Escaping my reality has been something I have been doing since I could remember. As I grow older though it keeps getting harder.
So what is it I am trying to escape and how? I’ll answer the second part of that question first. There were and still are many forms of escape for me. Reading and getting lost in a good book, becoming the characters, taking on the plot and getting totally immersed in it is one form. Turning up the music and letting it wash over you, happy music, sad music, dancing music all of it works. Walking or dancing to physical exhaustion. Socializing and getting lost in other people’s lives and issues instead of your own. Working and being totally engrossed in something that is not you. Writing it may not be a full escape but it works to help work things out. And many other forms of escapism that I am sure you are all familiar with including mood altering substances like chocolate.
To answer the first part of the question, I am running away from my reality. There is nothing really wrong with my reality. In fact, I am quiet privileged in many ways. So why is it I indulge this habit of mine? Why is I am always running away?
When I look at the things I did to escape and try to do the same now it is no longer enough. Thankfully I found my escapism this weekend at the bottom of a glass and on a dance floor, a day trip to sit in the sun in tranquility, some nesting, and a hubbly bubbly. I dread the day when that wont be enough. Just like today books, movies and music can no longer offer the stillness of mind and the escape I seek anymore.
January 11, 2008 at 11:09 pm
I’m glad I atleast shared the Hubbly Bubbly with you, but these Hun are temp getaways for the Human soul. Maybe, and I’m not giving any adivse here, maybe you need to know what is realy bothering you, maybe there is something that you need to change, anyways it’s still the begining of the year and there is always time for change. At the end I might be wrong, but what can a friend do, just give advises
January 12, 2008 at 11:36 am
Escape is negative. What I think you are doing is extremely positive. I would call it avoiding self indulging. Human beings are made to build (Let us not debate the meaning of building though). The moment we stop building and working and we have free time, we start looking at ourselves and our lives. Concentration needs focus. The latter needs energy. Self analysis is important once in a while, but we all know how we can over analyse until we are paralyzed. Thus we would be consuming our energy for paralysis. I think what you are doing is extremely positive and we should all learn how to keep ourselves busy with building and working. Having fun is part of that the building process by the way. (my 2 cents)
January 13, 2008 at 7:31 am
Ali dear it was a pleasure hubbly bubbling with you I hope we do it again soon. Hopefully for purely recreational purposes only
Rami, escapism is not always negative, and you are right it depends on what you do to escape. I agree with you on Self analysis it is a crippling force and is very energy consuming. I think u hit the nail on the nose with your interpreation of my escapism. I’d love to meet up and chat about this in the near future. Miss ya
January 13, 2008 at 11:01 am
escapism or extension of the self? (Ammar rubs his chin contemplatively)
January 13, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Ammar why do you always make me think harder than I already do… that is a great point. Since when we escape we are doing the things we love how are they an escape from ourselves.
Perhpas they are just momentray lapses from self analysis and so even if they are extensions of ourselves we are still taking a break from a certain aspect of us.
Did that make any sense?
January 15, 2008 at 9:33 am
Hey Sally , i know exactly where you are coming from… i been doing that for ever, and escapr forms have change with the change of age and friends, but escapism has always been there. I jusdt think its a time when you lift that heavy sack you carry on your back thruoghout life and return to being a child, without having to think so hard only letting go and enjoy your body mind and soul being set free for a while.
Its always been a method of recharging for me, cooling down if i’m upset and clearing issues that mess my head.