#208: What is rotting, if not rest?

The pleasure of this depraved human state lies, I think, in the contradiction: Resting in the literal physical sense, persisting in the toxic spiritual one. It’s a state that suggests a low tolerance for understimulation, a common modern condition.

Sometimes when I’m parenting alone, I slip into a mental state I call “idling.” It happens when my toddler’s nearby but playing on her own, meaning I only need to pay her half of my attention.

I must admit, idling accounts for some of the most relaxing moments of my day. They’re not joyful , nor are they ultimately restful (I’m reading Twitter after all, and I’m still tired afterward, often moreso), but there’s something about the combination of knowing she’s near me, safe and happy, while putting my brain in suspension mode that hits li... See more