Tinkering

I’m a tinkerer.

I find great joy in the wasteful pleasure of doing small, unnecessary things.

Tinkering focuses my mind and prevents it from going off in a hundred directions. It allows me to be still, and reduces stress.

I think of the old men who, in the past, would whittle, or spend countless time tamping their tobacco to get it just right. Or how, we just stare at the campfire, and poke it with a stick. Tinkering hobbies like watch modification are incredibly popular on Youtube, so apparently I’m not alone.

Mother Teresa is quoted as saying, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” I like to think this is kind of a parallel to our spiritual lives. It’s not about big spiritual projects, or heroic self-improvement with manifold and verbose marathons of prayer and devotion. Maybe it’s about the small, quiet moments we tinker away, simply knowing and experiencing the presence of God by our side.