It is so easy to get sucked into the negative feelings and to stay there, that we sometimes forget that the hard and painful times help us learn and grow into better times. This weekend I went canoeing up a river with friends, and it made me realize how much more grateful and appreciative I am these days of being healthy and able to go out and try new things. I was never a nature person but still, it is out there on the river or in the lake that I came to understand that life can be great without the "excitement" of a flashing computer or TV screen. Nature only seems boring when we compare it to the latest entertainment - but when you are out there, this perception changes quickly, whether you want to or not. Now, not everyone is into water like I am, but I'm sure we all have something in nature that we are attracted to, be it mountains, the forest, the sky, the ocean etc. But we can all access that part in us that feels in tune with our surrounding natural environment when we are in our element, doing what feels natural to us.

I don't think that sitting in front of the computer feels natural to us human beings, at least not for endless amounts of hours. And even if it seems to feel natural, I wonder if anyone can really say that they feel fully in their element, sensing the mental and physical enjoyment from their mind and body. Has anyone ever gone to bed after a day of computer gaming, thinking "Wow! I feel great! I am so tired, but it's such a great feeling of exhaustion that I just KNOW that I am going to enjoy every bite I'm going to have at dinner, and I will have a great sleep tonight!" If you've ever used the term "good tired", you probably will know what I am talking about.

I know, I sound like a health / fitness nut - but I'm not. I grew up spending a lot of time indoors reading, watching TV, and I was definitely never the sporty type. It took me a while to understand that I enjoy the fact that my body and mind can work together in unison, and I learned that this made me happy. For that alone I am thankful that I went through the period (aka 4-5 years) of playing Everquest compulsively. It is not too late for anyone to learn that to be a happy human being, both the mind and the body have to be exercised.

We are human beings, after all. If we were supposed to be purely spiritual, we wouldn't have a body. Sometimes I feel that when we spend all our time in front of the computer, we try to escape our confinement to the physical body. And I understand this when you truly have physical limitations. But for those who have a full set of limbs and functioning organs? What are your reasons to neglect a big part of yourself? Are there any underlying self-hating, self-harming motivations?