Busy. How often does that word come up in your life? It’s used as a badge of honor these days. Who can be the most busy, the most tired, the most stressed. It’s not even about time management or daily priorities. The real question: Are you so busy being busy that you forget to live?
A number of years ago, I went to the grocery store and heard the tiniest sparrow joyfully singing its heart out from the roof of the grocery store, as oblivious shoppers moved back and forth through the parking lot It was amazing to hear that loud and beautiful sound come out of such a tiny creature. Yet, no one else in that parking lot looked up.
Yes, we have places to be, work to do, and priorities to take care of. But, taking those few moments to remember to breathe and listen to the music could change the whole day for the better.
I spent years trying to practice the skill of living in the moment. It’s difficult, because my mind often races about ten steps ahead of itself, and I am constantly busy trying not to trip over the excess thoughts. My partner is the person who reminds me when it’s time to slow down. He knows I sometimes get caught up in my own loop of overthinking, and busy as I create lists and plans and forget that I can’t keep running like a hamster in a wheel. “Breathe,” he’ll say, because he’s a smart man and would never tell me to, “Calm down” when I get too overwhelmed and forget to focus on the moment.
For years, part of learning to focus has involved taking walks through local parks or trails. Instead of walking from Point A to Point B as fast as I can I pay attention to the views around me. Whether it’s the bunnies and ducks or deer and trees. Some days, I even take a sketch pad with me, befriend a tree, and draw. My drawings aren’t always pretty or even realistic, but those are the moments of quiet where I feel like I’ve taken a holiday, even if it’s only an hour out of my day.
In our hurried and busy world everyone runs back and forth, back and forth. We are constantly working. Constantly running. No time to stop. Always busy. We’re always looking for solutions. Ways to reduce our stress, be healthier, happier, and all the ways we could be better if only we had the time to change our lives. But, we never have the time. Because, now we’ve kept ourselves so busy that we’re exhausted.
The solution? Slow down. Listen to the music. Pet a kitten. Watch a family of quail go out for their morning breakfast. Listen to the bird songs. Sit still, remember to breathe, and listen to the bird songs.
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