it takes work

  We hear a great deal about mental health these days. We hear how much of a struggle life can be. It's overwhelming. Even our hobbies cause stress and difficulties as we desire affirmation and recognition for those activities. We post the results to Facebook and form groups to discuss and share our hobbies. Those that are "experts" abound and continually barrage us with their criticism. I don't care what you are talking about, what craft or skill you have, there is someone out there telling you that you are lacking. Some of those groups now limit what comments can be left, you have to pass the censors (administrators) of the group to be heard. I understand the reasoning but disagree with the decision. I'm an administrator of a group. All are free to comment, but not all are invited to join. It's my house after all. And in some circumstances, you will be ejected, no longer welcome. 

  It's my feeling that a great deal of this mental disability we are seeing is caused simply by a lack of hands-on work. Yes, a lack of labor. It's my feeling that a good day's labor is far more beneficial to our mental well-being than any therapy, any drug, any counseling or recreational pursuit we may have. It is that lack of labor causing the issues; that combined with the closeness of the "world" today. It's a bit of a cliche but our world is a lot smaller, a lot more crowded than at any time in history. Radio, television and finally the internet shrunk our world. We say we're connected for a reason. Our world has become a giant melting pot constantly being stirred! In the beginning the objective of the melting pot was to form an alloy. A combination of ingredients to form something unique. Now, the pot is constantly stirred, and each ingredient wishes to retain their separate identity. That causes constant conflict, disharmony and discord. Lacking a common goal, it is disheartening, disappointing and maddening. 

 When we work with our hands our minds don't have time to stray from the task. In most cases if that does happen you will be quickly made aware of that, either by a co-worker or serious injury. You have no time to worry about what others are saying or doing. "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." That's in the Bible. Idle hands are the Devil's workshop! Not a Biblical passage but true, nonetheless. All manual labor is performed to complete a task. A task that you can see and admire the result of your labor. So many of the "jobs" we have today are purely administrative, just paperwork and numbers, with no real tangible end result that we can see or measure. Nothing creative about any of that. No "craftmanship" involved it's just academic. 

 Many try to replace all that with a hobby. That's why all our hobbies are becoming so "professional." Even the tailgates on our pickup trucks are "professional" grade. Hobbies are those things we do because we enjoy them. We shouldn't be concerned with how good we are at that; we should just be enjoying the activity. That's not the case, however. We are all encouraged to be professionals! Well at least we should have professional equipment, supplies and facilities. More money and resources are spent on entertainment venues than on the schools in our country! Since 2000 the average cost of a sports stadium is 776 million dollars. The average cost of building a high school is 35 million. One for entertainment, the other for the future of the country. Our hobbies are taking priority over reality. Yes, playing sports is a hobby and shouldn't be an occupation.

 "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." Too much talking about it today and not enough work. That's the problem, that's why all this chaos and confusion. That's what is making people nuts! Don't think so, look at Congress. Lots of talking and no work getting done. Then half of what is proposed is crazy! Work isn't talking about the problem; work is solving the problem. And yes, the objective is to make a profit, not go broke talking about it.