On the way to giving a presentation on mindfulness, I drove over a mound of cherries that had been spilled over by a truck ahead of me. Once at the meeting place, I start thinking about the cherries, and how I need to get some at the farm I saw while driving earlier . . . I love the way dreams make a point. Now, back from presenting the Joy of Caring Project* to a group of health care professionals, I finally take the time to notice the wear in body and mind that has been with me. It is one thing to be passionate about a worthwhile cause. It is another to forget oneself, and to not take the time to just be, and appreciate each moment. In the name of efficiency and altruism, I have fallen, once more into the trap of busyness.
Tonight, I shall not work. I shall slow down. I shall not answer emails. I shall not rush to writing the document I hastily promised. I shall taste the cherries.
Flickr photo - Atomicshark
Do you ever get too busy too? Please share :)
* a mindfulness-based dementia care project I have been working on.
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In a passing conversation I had with friend the other day, she asked if things had calmed down for me. I didn’t know what she meant. “Remember earlier in the summer when you told me you were overwhelmed with so many things to do?”
ReplyDeleteI did remember and said there were a lot of things coming at me at once. But not much has changed.
Today my wife said, “Your not the only one with things to do.” (“I’ve got a lot to do” is a phrase I use over much - I think it’s beginning to bother people.) It’s seems I’m always busy, always taking on more project than I should, always trying to get things done, always struggling with time. On the other hand there are days when I get absolutely nothing done. My wife calls me an irregular performer. Extremely focused and productive some days, but other days I’m much like a slug, mentally and physically. Perhaps this is why I need to push so hard. Who knows?
Thanks for sharing, Paul! At least, you are very aware of your relationship with busyness, or lack of it . . . Also, love it how loved ones are such great mirrors for us to catch a bit more of ourselves :)
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