thoughts on time and neighborliness
last week at church we discussed what it is to be a good neighbor. seems a simple concept, but the idea of being too stressed and distracted to really live in the present kept surfacing as i listened to everyone's thoughts. darrell mentioned that oftentimes we are too busy to even muster up common decency and consideration for another's well being. our culture drives us to propel forward without so much as a glance to the left and right of us. makes me wonder what better people we'd be if we would just stop to breathe and look around. we'd probably notice more... be aware of our neighbor's pain and struggles. it's such a mindless "duh" kind of thing, when you think about it, but it is in fact SO HARD for us to really practice. anyway, i wrote more about this on my personal blog, which i've copied and pasted below..
'there's always something to look forward to. always something marked on my calendar. fun just waiting to happen. i spend much of my time and energy looking ahead to what's over the horizon..the next step.. things to scratch off my list..new goals to accomplish.
day to day, hour by hour, much of this future-mindedness is unconscious. just how life works; a reason to keep waking up every morning. but i am finding myself losing much of the present. well, i find myself not truly engaging in and experiencing what each moment has to offer.
it's like a super stressed bride and groom on their wedding day. they plan, they toil, they put so much of their time and thought into the big day, yet most say that they don't even remember eating the food-or knowing what songs were played- or what relatives they even spoke to. it's all about what's next on the list. and stress inevitably takes control and makes sure that you aren't relaxing and enjoying what's happening right now.
i've been trying really hard to step outside my routines and my stress and my calendar and just take time to look around at my current world- the emotions i feel, the weather, interactions with friends, smells, sounds, the work i'm doing (however tedious and pointless), and allowing certain moments to linger just a little longer than i would normally let them. sometimes this makes me seem ultra sappy or weird, but it's the only way i know how to slow down the clock.'
'there's always something to look forward to. always something marked on my calendar. fun just waiting to happen. i spend much of my time and energy looking ahead to what's over the horizon..the next step.. things to scratch off my list..new goals to accomplish.
day to day, hour by hour, much of this future-mindedness is unconscious. just how life works; a reason to keep waking up every morning. but i am finding myself losing much of the present. well, i find myself not truly engaging in and experiencing what each moment has to offer.
it's like a super stressed bride and groom on their wedding day. they plan, they toil, they put so much of their time and thought into the big day, yet most say that they don't even remember eating the food-or knowing what songs were played- or what relatives they even spoke to. it's all about what's next on the list. and stress inevitably takes control and makes sure that you aren't relaxing and enjoying what's happening right now.
i've been trying really hard to step outside my routines and my stress and my calendar and just take time to look around at my current world- the emotions i feel, the weather, interactions with friends, smells, sounds, the work i'm doing (however tedious and pointless), and allowing certain moments to linger just a little longer than i would normally let them. sometimes this makes me seem ultra sappy or weird, but it's the only way i know how to slow down the clock.'
posted by Kerri at 10:17 AM
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