Article September 7, 1974 Issue

Spiritual Vitality Banishes Boredom

ELIZABETH E. SWEDER

Many people are bored and dissatisfied. The problem stems from looking to matter and material circumstances for happiness. Through the ages many people have discovered that merely having an abundance of material things and a life of ease in matter does not guarantee joy and contentment. Mrs. Eddy states that "divine Principle is the Life of man. Man's happiness is not, therefore, at the disposal of physical sense."^{Science and Health, p. 304;} True joy, which banishes boredom, is found in God.

After reviewing his great wealth, beautiful gardens, gold, silver, jewels, and hired entertainers, the author of the book of Ecclesiastes complains, "Therefore I hated life;...for all is vanity and vexation of spirit."^{Eccl. 2:17;}

This age-old phenomenon of boredom in the presence of abundance does not present just an academic problem. It is believed to be one of the underlying causes of many of today's social ills, such as juvenile crime, shoplifting, drug abuse, and vandalism. Other problems linked to boredom are the chronic unhappiness of many housewives, fatigue, marital infidelity, the dissatisfaction of production workers resulting in poorly made products, and excessive absenteeism.

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