Understanding

From One-Half of Robertson Davies:

What you must do is spend twenty-three hours of every day of your life doing whatever falls in your way, whether it be duty or pleasure or necessary for your health and physical well-being. But – and this is the important thing – you must set aside one hour of your life every day for yourself, in which you attempt to understand what you are doing. Do you think it sounds easy? Try it, and find out. All kinds of things will interfere. People – husbands, lovers, friends, children, employers, teachers, enemies, and all the multifarious army of mankind will want that hour, and they will have all sorts of bandishments to persuade you to yield it to them. And the worst enemy of all – yourself – will find so many things that seem attractive upon which the hour can be spent. It is extremely difficult to claim that hour solely for the task of understanding, questioning, and deciding.