Recently I had a birthday. Don’t feel bad if you missed it—I have everything I need and most of what I want—so it’s all good!
For a birthday, it is the time spent with family and friends—be it directly or indirectly—that are the most significant and the best remembered.
Not to be dismissed are the cards from service providers, such as insurance agents and financial advisers. This reminds me, from ten years ago, I was amused and then taken aback by the generic message in one such card that read:
“Wishing you time to slow down and enjoy your special day.”
What does that say about the pace at which we move in today’s society? Is being too busy so common that a wish to slow down has become a universal sentiment? I hope not, but I fear it is so.
Take Time to Slow Down
That’s not to imply that at times I don’t need to slow down, because sometimes I do.
Sometimes my workload overwhelms me; sometimes I get frustrated by the commitments I have thoughtlessly made; and sometimes I say, “I’m too busy”—but not too often.
It took a while, but I’ve learned the freedom of saying “no”. I now often say “no” to good things so that I may have time for the best things.
And when I consistently do that, I don’t need to take time to slow down to enjoy the day—I’m already moving at the right pace, which allows me to enjoy just about every day that comes along.
Regardless of the speed of your day, I hope the same for you.
Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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