Barriers to studies

We all know how hard it is to concentrate these days. Be it in life, in meditation or in studies. Focus is ever lost amidst all the distractions. 

This post is going to revolve about the effort that goes in if you decide to take up studies after a gap of a few years. Especially, when there is no environment at your place to accommodate you for the same. Closure of public places, specifically libraries, in this hovering pandemic situation is only adding salt to the wounds. (That's a separate thing that I never went there for studies even when they were open).

So, the other day I was finding a corner in my house where the sounds of Youtube videos or the conversations of any of the family members would not disturb me. But I guess I forgot to figure in the biggest challenge to silence. My nephew. A seven year old.

When I opened my books half-heartedly, my nephew bang opened the room door. He asked me using his standard dialogue, "Can you play with me?" I denied outright.  

So, he went on to play something else, but he was making noises along with it. I had to ask him to stop making noises. On his continual insistence to let him play, I said, "OK. You can play but you have to give me some sound proof device so that noise doesn't enter my ears." And began the test of his innovative skills.

At first, I was offered to put in little balls (of almost 1 cm) made up of crumbled paper into my ears. Logic: Noise wouldn't find inlet into my ears. I expressed worries that they might get stuck into my ears permanently. 

He went again. This time he brought cello tape and two pens. He pointed towards the end tips of the pens. Logic: One can put pens in their ears to block sound and use cello tape to help the pens stay in place. To keep his heart, I tried this solution and asked him to make loud sound. Obviously, it failed.

He was out of ideas. I suggested what if I placed cello-tape all over my ears. Logic: block the passage of sound completely. He was elated. I was distracted. You know, whenever we are studying, all the things in the world seem more interesting than the books. Ultimately, I closed the book and scheduled my study time to late night.

Writer’s note: For a strange reason I'm getting this vibe that this post is randomest of the all.