Friday, November 21, 2008

Hurry. Busy. Fast.

Yesterday I talked about how important it is to step back and appreciate life. It's shorter than we like to think. But more importantly than enjoying your family there is another level to reach.

I was sitting at the stop light the other day in the turning lane. The weather was fantasticly springy. The wind was blowing just enough to capture the small pieces of hair around my face with my half cracked window. I was listening to some mellow music and just enjoying that moment immensly. I zoomed out of the moment like in a movie when the character has a flashback. I watched every person driving by and almost all of them were on their cell phones. Of course it's modern day technology and everyone is doing it.... but what did it used to be like?

There were days even in my lifetime when cell phones weren't around. People survived believe it or not. It's like now people are in way too big of a hurry to enjoy life. By life I don't mean the turbo speed that we live. Everything has a quicker way of doing things. People aren't as friendly. I mean seriously, when did we become so busy? Is that even neccesary? I really don't think so. It reminds me of a scene from Sweet Home Alabama when the teller says they don't have an ATM machine on "account of losing personal contact with the customers." That proves a good point. Everything is done now where you practically don't even have to deal with people. Calling a customer service hotline you talk to a stupid operator the whole time! What's that about?

I may just be rambling on about something that I can't change, but in our own lives we can do something about it. Take a lesson from the old days. People never got in a hurry. I guarantee that's a main reason you see the elderly driving 25 in a 50. It isn't entirely because they are frightened, it's because they don't have a need to get in a hurry. We could all use a good slap in the face sometimes.

I challenge you. Go one day. Just one day. No Blackberry email updates. No text messaging. You go from a busy day at work, to the radio in your car, to texting and checking your email via cell phone internet. You get home, pop in a frozen dinner, watch a little TV then go to bed. You ignore your spouse because you are too tired. What? Really? How bout you turn off the TV. Turn off the computer. Turn off your cell phone. Talk. The old fashion way. Enjoy the company of your living partner. Take your dog for a walk and enjoy outside. Have some family time. Have some quiet time even. Read a book. Talk to God. Sew a pillow. Whatever. I guarantee you will have a panic attack. It's like you are disconnected from the outside world. You don't know what to do with yourself. Good. Live like they did a few years back. Everyone was happier, nicer, and more trusting. But more importantly, they understood what it was like to really live.

So that's your challenge. Do it. Take technology away for a day. Of course work has to be a compromise. But when you clock out of your 8 hours for the day, enjoy yourself, your family and nature.

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