Habit, Routine, and Doing Things Over and Over

Well, it's summer now, as in school's out. Actually, it's been a month since my first year of college left, and I returned to my hometown. Work has replaced classes and free time has taken over the hours I spent on homework. So, to avoid wallowing in vice and shallow entertainment, I try and cultivate some positive habits and stuff to fill, at least in part, all of the free time I have found myself gifted with. Some writing, some exercising, some reading, some thinking, some learning. That's how I try and spend my time. A general mish-mash of things, all leading towards that ultimate goal of my becoming a decent person.

Now, as happens so often, I seek to justify these actions that I try to devote some of my day to. I'd like to meet the person that hasn't heard, "Practice makes perfect," and that cliche is the source of my discomfort and this post. I understand (seeing as how I've never fully partaken of either activity) that basketball players and hunters practice shooting over and over again in order to turn it into a reflex. When the pressure's on and there's no time to think, they're able to pull it off; drain the desperation shot or bring down a bolting deer. For some parts of my routine, this isn't a big deal, but I worry how my daily writings influence the works that actually matter. I've said it before, I don't even reread what I write here. I write my ideas as they come to me and decide on a whim, "This looks good," and publish the post. That is not the way to approach newspaper articles or anything that I would turn in at school (with the exception of Literature II journals which became a practice in seeing how fast I could write). If I remember right, in The Screwtape Letters (which I recommend in the strongest of terms to everyone) Screwtape tells his nephew that praying isn't such a big deal as long as it's turned into a meaningless, repetitive action. Praying as part of a routine does nothing to protect Wormwood's charge from Hell. There needs to be meaning and effort in the act and not a a vision that focuses solely upon the end, in this case, attaining Heaven.

Well, after putting some thought into it, this isn't such a big worry, not in my writing and not in my other habits. As long as I keep my perspective on what's important and what isn't and remain aware of my writing and whatever else, this is of no matter. Besides, writing here gives me the opportunity to try out new styles for their sake alone, for no reason other than to see how I like them (how often I actually do this is up to dispute. probably not that much. my posts don't vary that much in style). Simple awareness and a vivacious perspective that brings meaning to an action beyond the goal that lays beyond it the counters to the apathy that comes from repetition.

Pretty cool. It's not that exciting of a post, but I came to some manner of conclusion and feel better at the end of it. Unlike that whole 'What can I be sure of knowing?' post. Freak.