Friday, May 16, 2014

Slow down...

The other day at lunch I was musing with a church friend that at this point in my life there are clearly some things I want and need to explore more deeply. There are also a few others that I don't care about at all and a whole bunch of things that interest me to varying degrees but take more time, energy and zest than I possess. Such is reality for me these days: I don't want MORE, I want DEPTH. That is a distinction I couldn't grasp thirty years ago.

Back in the day, I grew frustrated that life was too busy, too demanding and sometimes too hard for me to focus on my most serious interests. Today I tend to think: guess what? It is ALWAYS too demanding and frenetic - and it will always be so no matter how frazzled I feel. So I have to make some choices, yes? It is up to me to discern where to give my attention and time - my heart and soul and mind - knowing that even without me, the world will carry on very well with all the rest. 

And here's something else I sense is true: this is not something I can share with any of my younger colleagues without coming off like an old fart or some pompous windbag. There are days now when I know I'm becoming a cranky old man, so I want to stay as far away from old fart and pompous windbag as I can! That means that I erase a lot of Facebook posts and delete a variety of emails and try to keep my mouth shut from time to time in public. It is ok to rant a bit later in the car, but there are simply some things that are better kept to myself: not only do they not translate across the years, they can only be experienced when the time is right. 

I rather think Ernest Hemingway was on to something when he said, "No, that is the great fallacy: the wisdom of old men. They do not grow wise. They grow careful.” At least sometimes - and only among some men (and women) because I know all too many who have turned into fools or cynics. But being careful... I like that.  I also think that Mark Twain got it right when he quipped:
Age is an issue of mind over matter: if you don't mind, it doesn't matter!"

As the wise old preacher in Ecclesiastes said: there is a time for every season under heaven - a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

For those who have the time - and inclination - you might find this link by Sandi Villarreal about "Slow Reading and Slow Responding" of value. I loved it:

http://sojo.net/blogs/2014/05/15/praise-slow-response

Blessed Sabbath...

1 comment:

Peter said...

Same here: I catch myself walking fast, and slow down. Slow down everything, in fact. Life us a marathon with Occasional (note emphasis) sprints...

getting into the holy week groove...

We FINALLY got our seed and wildflower order in! By now we've usually had seedlings started but... my new gig at church, Di's health...