Hunter-gatherers didn't hunt or gather all the time. In fact, they had mostly free time. Subsistence was never a full-time gig. Yet they didn't live long. Farming and land ownership started the race for more. A hunter-gatherer cannot use more than she can carry. The race for more lead us to where we are currently. Each of us trying to get ahead (whatever that means..).
Our minds need to wander. They need emptiness now and again. Free to follow any stray wisps of wondering. Many computer programming problems are solved in the shower. Stepping back from the task at hand gives the mind free reign to see things in a new light and often a solution emerges from shadow.
When was the last time you stopped to wander? To muse? To reflect? To appreciate the simple beauty of each rock, flower, or wild animal?
Photo by Nick Dunlap