Are You Enthused?

Bertrand Russel was undoubtedly a great man. The mere fact he can produce a book the length of 'History of Western Philosophy' (744 pages, small type) impresses me greatly. That it is also interesting, intelligent and well written is nothing short of a wonderful achievement as far as I'm concerned, considering 2000 word A level essays were, for me, taxing. This book is required reading for my course, and the further I get, the more relieved I am. Looking at it sitting on a shelf can be daunting, however once I pick it up I find it easy to get lost in the words. It's not the historical element that I've found fascinating, more his examination of it. It is one statement of his in the early chapters that has prodded me to write, as I found myself re-reading it at this unholy hour of the morning.
"Prudence may easily involve the loss of some of the best things in life".
Boom. That got to me.
I may have now read the paragraph containing that sentence about ten times. I should really be reading the chapters required for this weeks lecture, but I find myself reluctant to pass this part just yet.
Russel's point is an interesting one, he expands further and suggests that prudence can drain joy and enthusiasm from life, by distracting one with trivial, monotonous, everyday preoccupations. After a day where I have seriously lacked joy and enthusiasm, I found it something of a revelation.
Now I'm not suggesting that prudence is the reason I have not been particularly enthused today. I woke up at 4pm and have done little else but eat and watch 'How I Met Your Mother' online. The enemy of enthusiasm today was laziness. But at other times, when I find myself bored, languid and unhappy, it is often because I am endlessly focusing on practical issues. Now this is in no way a bad thing, but it leads me to feeling joyless on occasion, as I haven't made time to do anything else (it probably doesn't help that I think of all the things that need doing, rather than doing them, but that's another issue). It seems to me that prudence really can be preventative, at times it overrides passion and adventure, which are crucial to deriving excitement and happiness from life.
Now prudence in itself is an admirable quality. As someone who could do with a little more, I am impressed by those who have that level of forethought, who are careful, who plan for the future. It is also incredibly important, it is key to feeling secure. Despite the argument that it can "easily involve the loss of some of the best things in life", it can also lead to great things.
So I find myself on the fence. I spend far more of my time looking for joy than I do planning for a rainy day, and yet on the rare occasions I attempt to be more organised I find myself listless (unintentional irony). And yet, often when I look for joy I can't seem to find it, it tends to arrive when I'm spontaneously wandering through my day.
After a few glances at Russel's words, however, the answer seems simple.
Balance, as I'm sure my good friend George would agree, is the key to happiness. There is nothing wrong with playing the long game, planning for the future and making allowances, it will reward you in weeks, months and years to come. Equally there is a lot to be said for seeking out pleasure and excitement, it gives you a feeling that cannot be matched. But neither can be truly fulfilling without the other. If you lack all prudence, nothing gets done. If you're nothing but prudent, you'll plan your life but never live it. Balancing the two on a daily basis allows the benefits of both, without detracting from the other, and you can "find your bliss", to quote the aforementioned TV show that has taken over my day. So that's what I'm gonna get to work on, balance. That, and my reading for this weeks lectures. One concrete assertion I derived from today is that nothing good can come of spending all day in bed, watching TV and munching cereal. Although that realisation won't change a thing.
Anyway, back to the genius of Neil Patrick Harris. I never learn.