Fighting gravity

Getting up from your couch is the difference between joy and boredom

God, help me overcome inertia!

A few days ago, I went to a concert of my favorite classical orchestra, the Netherlands Bach Society. I have been a fan since I discovered All of Bach, their series of live recordings of all of Bach’s music on Youtube.

But I almost didn’t go.

When I found out they would play in a beautiful church in Naarden the following week, I didn’t buy a ticket yet. I would be working the day of the concert, and often I am exhausted after work. Therefore I decided to wait and see how I would feel after returning home that day. When the day had come, arriving home from work, I felt tired, and reclined on the couch. It was real comfy. From the comfort of my cozy couch, it felt like a daunting feat to stand up and travel all the way to the church.

There was a tug-of-war between my two desires. Would I continue to enjoy the comfort of my couch, or would I rise up and go to the concert? My mind couldn’t make itself up. Then I remembered how, two weeks prior, I had been in the same situation and afterward regretted dearly not having gone. This memory was all the incentive I needed, and I rose from the couch with a mission.

I went online and bought a ticket, jumped on my folding bike, hopped on the train, and presented myself at the church’s door an hour later. Having bought one of the last tickets, I found myself in a lousy seat. Since there are always people who don't show up, I hid behind a pillar to watch out for empty seats. I could spot some great ones in the second row.

One minute before the start of the concert, with the musicians already sitting in their chairs on the podium, I sneaked up to an empty seat in the center of the second row. It was one of the best seats in the church where I sat down, fearing the rightful owner might show up at the last moment, but luck or God was on my side, and the rest of the evening I enjoyed a great sound and an excellent view of the musicians I love so dearly.  

Music sounds so rich when it is played right in front of you. I could hear every nuance: sometimes the music was like translucent lace; the next moment, I would be submerged in a sea of sound. In Bach’s music, instruments often react to each other, repeating a phrase or having a musical conversation. Watching the musicians respond to each other not only in sound but also in gesture and eye contact only added to the fun.

One hour and a half later, after the end of the concert and thunderous applause, I left the church replenished and contented.

Note to self: it is better to do something when the spirit moves me than to succumb to the inertia of the body or the fearful mind. Try to imagine how bad you will feel afterward when staying put.

God, give me the willpower to overcome inertia!