The Doldrums

If you haven't read "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster ... Go do it. It is, quite possibly, the best fiction book of all time. The wit. The humor. The word play. I. Love. It.

If you've never read it and therefore never met Milo ... I'm sorry. He's a guy worth knowing and takes a trip worth going on. However, right towards the beginning of the trip Milo runs into a problem. In the midst of a day dream he suddenly realizes the car he was driving has stopped completely, and he has no idea where he is.

Soon we meet a group of small creatures known as the Lethargians who inform Milo that he is in The Doldrums.

In The Doldrums it is against the law to think. It is against the law to laugh. And to smile. And yet, though the Lethargians cannot think nor laugh, they somehow manage to have a completely full schedule ...  you see, "...its really quite strenuous doing nothing all day."

Thankfully for Milo, the 'terrible' watchdog who is 'always sniffing around to see that nobody wastes time' comes by. When he asks Milo why he is there, Milo has no real answer, but claims he was headed somewhere else when he got stuck here. Milo asks for help ... But the watchdog says Milo must help himself. 'I suppose you know why you got stuck.' The watchdog states.

'I guess I just wasn't thinking' Milo replies.

*GASP*

How often am I stuck in the doldrums? How often do I find myself in some pit of boredom or loneliness? How often do I feel stuck? How often am I idle? How often do I sin by not doing things? How often am I just plain lazy? How often do I wonder how I got where I am?....how often do all those things happen because I just wasn't thinking?

All. Too. Often.

And let me tell you ... It really is quite strenuous doing nothing all day.

But don't worry ... The watchdog soon informs Milo that "...since you for here by not thinking, it seems reasonable to expect that, in order to get out, you must start thinking." So with the watchdogs help, Milo's wheels are soon turning again, taking his car in the direction he had wanted to go in the first place.

How obvious. How straight forward. How simple.

So here's to thinking. To doing. To being about God's business. To progress. To passion and determination. To gumption. And to lots and lots of thought.

Because Milo's fantastically awesome story would have never been written had he remained stuck in The Doldrums ... And neither would mine.