This is the story of my life......i might use the words you or us or we but I am referring to me and if it applies to you or if the shoe fits, maybe we will both benefit from this "hurry up" blog.
When you're living a distracted life, every minute must be accounted for. You feel like you must be checking something off the list, staring at a screen or rushing off to the next destination like the saying : people to see, places to be and things to do". It just seems no matter how many ways you divide your time and attention, no matter how many duties you try and multi-task, there's never enough time in a day to ever catch up. Seems like for so many of us, our thoughts and actions are controlled by electronic notifications, ring tones and jam packed agendas. As for me, every fiber of my inner drill seargant wants to be on time to every activity on my over committed schedule. I wasn't and I'm still not. I feel at times like I'm going to crash and burn. I know by living life distracted, I had tunnel vision- only looking forward ahead to what's next on the agenda and anything that cannot be checked off my list is a waste of time. I know better, but easier said than done.
There are a few reasons I feel compelled to blog about "hurry up". One of them is I can never get Alabama's song out of my head...EVER!! The chorus goes "I'm in a hurry and I don't know why....all you gotta do is live and die, but I'm in a hurry and don't know why." Seems like it is the story of my life, but I do want to change that. I want to have more time to enjoy a sunrise, a sunset, a flower blooming, the dew on a blade of grass, be able to watch and be intrigued by an ant carry food, or a bird working so hard on building its nest for the future youngin's or even the beautiful art work of a spider spinning away at its web. I don't want to take a single thing for granted.
Another reason is one of my closest friends asked me to share with here the secret to not being in a hurry when I figure it out. So Cheryl, this is for you and for me and the people we directly affect.
You see my kids are grown and started their own careers and families and Cheryl is right in the midst of a 7 year old's beautiful life. My life and Cheryl's life have many parellels. Our actions and thoughts are controlled by rigid agendas which are jam-packed, electronic notifications, ring tones, daily chores that we don't like to veer from...we are our own drill seargents!
As for Cheryl, 7 years ago she was blessed with a laid back, carefree, stop and smell the roses type of child. Yet whenever Payton caused her to deviate from her master schedule, Cheryl was constantly thinking "I don't have time for this". Consequencley, the 2 words she most commonly speaks to her little lover of life are "hurry up" and many times she says, "hurry up, this bus is leaving!" She ( and I, mind you, this isn't just about Cheryl and Payton, remember our lives are so parallel, just that I have 2, and they are grown now. Well, she had 2 also, Kenny being 15 years older or so) would start our sentences with "we're going to miss everything, if you don't hurry up". Start the day with "hurry up and eat your breakfast, hurry up and get dressed." Ended the day with "hurry up and brush your teeth, hurry up and get into bed". Yet the words "hurry up" did little if nothing to increase their speed...yet we'd say them anyways!
Cheryl and I ( and I'm sure this applies to 1000's of you out there) don't want to be the one who pushes and pressures and hurries our children who simply want to enjoy life. We both know our "hurried existence" is not for the best. It's not always easy to slow down and not be in a hurry. Yet when this finally does happen, it is amazing the things we notice. Just try to push thoughts of "my agenda" out of your head and simply observe. Observe expressions on peoples faces, dimples on their cheeks, sparkle in their eyes, notice lady buys and pretty flowers. Become a "notice"...because noticers of the world are rare and beautiful gifts. Noticers are gifts to frenzied souls!
My promise to slow down cane at the time when I began my journey "to let go of daily distractions and grasp what matters in life." Living at a slower pace still takes a concerntrated effort....but I do choose to live in today. What do they say..."yesterday is gone, tomorrow is a mystery, and the present (today) is a gift to cherish. Things seem to taste sweeter and love comes easier when you stop rushing through life. Whether it's...
snow-cone eating
flower picking
ladybug watching
sidewalk strolling
playing barbies
playing store or school
playing hopscotch
making cookies
I hope I never have to say "I don't have time for this" because that is basically saying "I don't have time to live". Pausing to delight in the simple joys of everyday life is truly the only way to live. I'm not saying there aren't times we have to say hurry up, like the dreaded time our alarm doesn't go off, or we close our eyes for a minute and it actually 20 minutes. I am big on knowing the importance of being prompt and responsible and to respect other peoples time. Different approaches in life expand our horizons cause us to thing and mull things over and become the most excellent in all we do..work, parenting, and just being.
When you hurry, hurry and hurry....after the big rush, sitting in your car or getting to the destination, just try to remember how you feel. Most of the time we feel guilt and we tend to blame ourselves for not allowing enough time or being better prepared. From this day forward, I will take a deep breath, forget about all the things I have to do and ignore the BIG dark clock looming over my head going tiktoktiktoktiktok...I want to enjoy life and notice the little things like the dew on the blade of grass poking through the bricks along the walkway.
So once again...when you are living a distracted life, every minute must be accounted for. So, let today be the day you stop saying "hurry up" and try to be more of a "notice" a little laid back, carefree, and stop and smell the roses type of person. Please don't take me wrong, we do need to live up to our responsibilities and respect others time schedules. I, by all means not saying it's ok to be late to everything or have a who cares attitude, what I'm simply saying is no matter how many ways you divide your time and attention, no matter how many duties you try to mulit-task, don't let your thoughts and actions be controlled by electronic notifications, ring tones, jam packed agendas and to do lists. take the time to watch the clouds flaot by, look for a 4-leaf clover, touch the edge of a flower, enjoy the last drop of a snow cone, observe miles, sparkles in eyes.
This my friend, will bring much happiness...I promise
All because of His AMAZING GRACE.....
There are a few reasons I feel compelled to blog about "hurry up". One of them is I can never get Alabama's song out of my head...EVER!! The chorus goes "I'm in a hurry and I don't know why....all you gotta do is live and die, but I'm in a hurry and don't know why." Seems like it is the story of my life, but I do want to change that. I want to have more time to enjoy a sunrise, a sunset, a flower blooming, the dew on a blade of grass, be able to watch and be intrigued by an ant carry food, or a bird working so hard on building its nest for the future youngin's or even the beautiful art work of a spider spinning away at its web. I don't want to take a single thing for granted.
Another reason is one of my closest friends asked me to share with here the secret to not being in a hurry when I figure it out. So Cheryl, this is for you and for me and the people we directly affect.
You see my kids are grown and started their own careers and families and Cheryl is right in the midst of a 7 year old's beautiful life. My life and Cheryl's life have many parellels. Our actions and thoughts are controlled by rigid agendas which are jam-packed, electronic notifications, ring tones, daily chores that we don't like to veer from...we are our own drill seargents!
As for Cheryl, 7 years ago she was blessed with a laid back, carefree, stop and smell the roses type of child. Yet whenever Payton caused her to deviate from her master schedule, Cheryl was constantly thinking "I don't have time for this". Consequencley, the 2 words she most commonly speaks to her little lover of life are "hurry up" and many times she says, "hurry up, this bus is leaving!" She ( and I, mind you, this isn't just about Cheryl and Payton, remember our lives are so parallel, just that I have 2, and they are grown now. Well, she had 2 also, Kenny being 15 years older or so) would start our sentences with "we're going to miss everything, if you don't hurry up". Start the day with "hurry up and eat your breakfast, hurry up and get dressed." Ended the day with "hurry up and brush your teeth, hurry up and get into bed". Yet the words "hurry up" did little if nothing to increase their speed...yet we'd say them anyways!
Cheryl and I ( and I'm sure this applies to 1000's of you out there) don't want to be the one who pushes and pressures and hurries our children who simply want to enjoy life. We both know our "hurried existence" is not for the best. It's not always easy to slow down and not be in a hurry. Yet when this finally does happen, it is amazing the things we notice. Just try to push thoughts of "my agenda" out of your head and simply observe. Observe expressions on peoples faces, dimples on their cheeks, sparkle in their eyes, notice lady buys and pretty flowers. Become a "notice"...because noticers of the world are rare and beautiful gifts. Noticers are gifts to frenzied souls!
My promise to slow down cane at the time when I began my journey "to let go of daily distractions and grasp what matters in life." Living at a slower pace still takes a concerntrated effort....but I do choose to live in today. What do they say..."yesterday is gone, tomorrow is a mystery, and the present (today) is a gift to cherish. Things seem to taste sweeter and love comes easier when you stop rushing through life. Whether it's...
snow-cone eating
flower picking
ladybug watching
sidewalk strolling
playing barbies
playing store or school
playing hopscotch
making cookies
I hope I never have to say "I don't have time for this" because that is basically saying "I don't have time to live". Pausing to delight in the simple joys of everyday life is truly the only way to live. I'm not saying there aren't times we have to say hurry up, like the dreaded time our alarm doesn't go off, or we close our eyes for a minute and it actually 20 minutes. I am big on knowing the importance of being prompt and responsible and to respect other peoples time. Different approaches in life expand our horizons cause us to thing and mull things over and become the most excellent in all we do..work, parenting, and just being.
When you hurry, hurry and hurry....after the big rush, sitting in your car or getting to the destination, just try to remember how you feel. Most of the time we feel guilt and we tend to blame ourselves for not allowing enough time or being better prepared. From this day forward, I will take a deep breath, forget about all the things I have to do and ignore the BIG dark clock looming over my head going tiktoktiktoktiktok...I want to enjoy life and notice the little things like the dew on the blade of grass poking through the bricks along the walkway.
So once again...when you are living a distracted life, every minute must be accounted for. So, let today be the day you stop saying "hurry up" and try to be more of a "notice" a little laid back, carefree, and stop and smell the roses type of person. Please don't take me wrong, we do need to live up to our responsibilities and respect others time schedules. I, by all means not saying it's ok to be late to everything or have a who cares attitude, what I'm simply saying is no matter how many ways you divide your time and attention, no matter how many duties you try to mulit-task, don't let your thoughts and actions be controlled by electronic notifications, ring tones, jam packed agendas and to do lists. take the time to watch the clouds flaot by, look for a 4-leaf clover, touch the edge of a flower, enjoy the last drop of a snow cone, observe miles, sparkles in eyes.
This my friend, will bring much happiness...I promise
All because of His AMAZING GRACE.....
