Life can get busy. It can get noisy, even overwhelming at times. And yet, if we allow ourselves a moment to breathe we realize that so many wonderful things can happen in a short amount of time.
When I feed my dog a treat, he often doesn't chew it first - he simply swallows it. My reaction is to ask him, "did you even taste it?" I'm disappointed that he didn't take the time to enjoy it - to savour it. In a nanosecond his treat was gone. I can hardly believe he enjoyed it.
Some days I feel this way about life and all of its busyness. The day felt like it just vanished. Did I even hear God's whispers of love, sense his presence, or take a moment to pray?
If you've ever watched the sunset, you know it doesn't take long for it to fully disappear once it has already touched the horizon. A cheetah can reach speeds of 95 kilometres per hour and Gale refers to a current more generally known as a strong wind. A sunset is gorgeous. A cheetah's speed is amazing. But, Gale force winds can be dangerous and destructive.
It's true, a busy life can also be catastrophic. God doesn't want this for us. He wants us to draw near to him, need him, desire to know him, and take time to rest in him. For the past year and half the world has been a different place. Some of us have rested more than we ever would have if it were not for Covid-19.
Some of us embraced the time alone and used it to revitalize our soul and find rest. For me it has felt like a long and unusual rest - different to say the least, but through it all the busyness was cast aside. At first it was not a great feeling. I had to learn how to find other ways to engage with family and friends. And the the most difficult all of - learn how to be alone.
When I look back over this period of time I see God working in the midst of it all. He showed me how much we need each other and how disconnected we have become by keeping busy. We are surrounded by a constant need to perform and are dominated by a culture that is overrun by social media. At times we feel pressured to be someone that we're not - the super-parent, the volunteer that won't say no, the person that works endless hours.
I don't enjoy being that busy. Somewhere in-between feels fresh and new. It's okay to engage in self-care. Savor the time to look and see, to stop and breathe, to listen and hear and to rest. Don't get swallowed up by busyness.
