Variety vs. Continuity
For as long as I can remember I’ve never been able to sit in one place. The minute the break time bell would ring, I would sprint outside onto the field and consider my choices. Did I want to climb on the playground’s monkey bars or join a soccer game on the grass field? My love for variety would constantly put me in the middle of a decision between this or that.
My longing for variety continued as I grew older. I realized that I liked to challenge myself, try new things, and pursue different interests. The variety of sports I played (and still play) range from volleyball to table tennis… and almost everything in between. I also sought out new experiences in my travels, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and volunteering to build a school in Kenya. Even the clubs I’ve chosen to lead in high school include a wide range of interests, such as fundraisers to collect money to invest in solar panels with the Go Green club, training a group of delegates for Model UN, and presenting on the importance of culture with the Heritage Club. These experiences have helped me grow, build community, and have strengthened my sense of responsibility and empathy. To me, change was the ‘hot sauce’ that added a bit of spice to the routine of daily life.
Having said that, there are some areas where I perhaps do prefer continuity. My favourite example of a tradition that endures for me is our Friday family lunch. Every Friday at 2pm sharp my entire extended family of four generations (over 30 people) gathers at my grandparents’ house. I know there will be the steaming hot tomato soup at the center of the glass dining table, my great grandmother rocking back and forth on her light blue rocking chair, and the sound of younger children bickering about who gets to sit at the adults’ table. Our Friday gatherings provide me with a sense of stability and comfort that comes with connecting and forming a close relationship with my family. My Friday lunch scene, as repetitive as it may be, is something I don’t want to change. In fact, I hope it never changes.
As odd as it may sound, another routine I like is the one that comes with wearing a uniform to school each morning. The hassle of choosing an outfit for school doesn’t appeal to me. When I walk into school and see everyone wearing a maroon shirt and grey pants, I enjoy the sense of equality it creates as it limits superficial comparisons among students. The practicality and sense of community that comes along with the routine of wearing a uniform is a positive, and when I appreciate it most.
I have come to realize, however, that even in routine and continuity, there is variety! Each Friday, though I sit at the same glass dining table, I converse with different people and eat a different dish alongside my tomato soup. The arguments continue as family members can never agree on who’s making “Machboos” (chicken and rice), “Thireed” (bread, meat, and vegetables), or other Bahraini specialities. And while my peers at school for the most part dress the same, they have different personalities, interests, and aspirations that set them apart. One wants to become an astrophysicist while another aspires to be an independent artist!
Even in a routine, there is always variety. Nothing I do will be identical to anything I’ve done before. In the past I craved a perfect balance of variety and routine, of comfort and excitement, but I’ve come to realize that they don’t need to be balanced. That’s the beauty of it — the closer you look, the more variety there is. There was no ‘hot sauce’ to take away from the blandness of routine. It was never bland to begin with.