Einstein and me

I just heard a story about Einstein. Apparently, when he was walking home from work, he would so often get completely lost in thought and walk by his house altogether that his wife started standing outside to watch for him. In fact, one time, the police had to bring him home.

I find this SO comforting. Because the man was a genius, y’all. He changed the world. And he still did silly things like that.

It is the grace of God that I get from one place to another in my car every day without incident. It’s become a conditioned response, I believe: like Pavlov’s dog salivating at the ringing of a bell, when I get in the seat of my car and turn the key, my brain automatically begins to travel to distant lands.

Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. I’m mostly thinking about what I need to do today . . . and who I need to talk to . . . and plotting out those conversations . . . and remembering other things to mention when I talk to them . . . like the season finale of Severance last weekend . . . and what was that actor’s name again? . . . and maybe I need to go back and watch that other show he was on . . . and – wait! How did I end up at school? I was going to pick up groceries!

Again – exaggerating a bit. But my mind definitely wanders – all over the place. (And I do end up in turn lanes I don’t want to be in because I’m driving on autopilot.)

And it’s not just in the car. I can be standing in the bathroom, think of something I need to do in the kitchen, and by the time I get to said kitchen, my brain has entertained five other diverse notions and I have no bloody clue what I’m doing there.

I realize that’s an old person cliché – going into a room and immediately forgetting why you’re there. And maybe it is because I’m getting old. Having lost my dad to Alzheimer’s that was diagnosed when he was a year younger than I am today, the prospect of dementia certainly haunts my mind, too. (Don’t worry about me, for the record – I have no other signs of that tragic condition, and I have friends watching out for them on my behalf.)

But honestly, I don’t blame age or brain disease as much as I just blame my mental habits. This isn't a new problem for me; I blogged about it a little over four years ago (a favorite past blog of mine, actually). I have a full head, and I’ve let the gray matter roam freely so often that it’s very hard to rein it in sometimes. And I suspect that living alone has only exacerbated the problem.

And this is where scripture calls me on the carpet. In the second letter we have that Paul wrote to the people in Corinth, he told them to “bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” “Captive” is a strong word there; the only time we think of captivity being just or appropriate is when a criminal or dangerous person is being confined. And perhaps we need to be more aware of the dangers inherent in thoughts that are not restrained, that roam free without regard for the purposes God has in mind.

And yet, my winding thoughts are fruitful sometimes. Quite often, in fact! They will often find their way to creative assignments to give my students. Or to solutions to a problem in my day. Or to topics for a blog post.

So, maybe it's a timing thing? Maybe I allow roaming stretches for my brain at certain times of the day but put a check on that when focus is necessary -- like when I'm behind the wheel.

Something to work on, for sure. Nevertheless, it is gratifying to rank up there with Einstein in my mental meandering.