Are you letting life pass you by in the busyness of living?
A middle-aged woman made me smile, as she danced in the rain with her kids. Oblivious, she enjoyed the moment and would cherish the memory. Are you doing things that would build an album of memories that will not fade?
The secret lies in the way one looks at things. Children notice little things and are naturally appreciative of them. Their pleasure is great for they delight in little things. They enter into the rhythm of creation. Adults are so full of grown-up mind stuff that the innocent spontaneity of the heart fades from their lives. A wild flower is just a weed to an adult, but to a child it is something of wonder. The rain is just a nuisance that keeps one indoors, while its pitter-patter is dance music for a child. Puddles are an inconvenience, but children sail boats in them, imagining adventurous seas. A blank sheet of paper makes adults think of their finances or projects but a child imagines new beginnings, new possibilities the adult mind has missed.
Sitting the other day at a hospital with my wife, I saw a father, delight his child with shadows created with his hands in the dimly lit waiting corridor. I can say, both the father and the child were delighted and were lost in the world of pleasant imaginations, while the other parents were scolding, dragging and beating their own kids. Comments were many, but the point was clear – he was living his life, enjoying the moment God has given.
We were kids not long ago; what did we lose as we matured? Life’s pressures squeeze out the little matters of the heart. Time snatched the childlike heart and gave us responsibilities instead. Our focus shifted to what was tangible. Yet our material world leaves us with a sense of loss, searching for meaning in an adult lifestyle.
“The lips know only shallow tunes. The heart is where great symphonies are born” says Calvin Miller, yet we prefer shallow tunes. Pocketing the rewards of smart labor – money, fame, power, our minds continually focus on new horizons. Seated in the plush bucket seats of a Mercedes, we scream past the matters of the heart. An incident may for a brief moment bring a smile to our faces or a tug at the heartstrings, but that is soon swallowed up by the dull routine of the day. Perturbed, we rev into higher gear and vroom upwards socially, till a stone shatters the windshield of pride and self-sufficiency, bringing us back to reality. The abrupt intrusion forces us to take stock of reality and search for meaning in what we are doing. Are we living or speeding on?
We gain time and status, but gamble away friendships. Loneliness and lack of real relationships is definitely a product of our contemporary urban lifestyle. Someone said it is lonely at the top. This one statement has been misread a lot, resulting in self-created cubicles of power. Dining with a group of achievers the other day, gave me a great input. One of them said, “You wouldn’t believe how happy I am, ever since I started making friends in my office. Now I am no more Mr. Great, but Mr. Nice. Smile, laughter, Frankness and accountability is what I get now”. Remember, a man’s worth is not counted by how many rupee he keeps, but by how many friends he has.
The Bible teaches us that with the wise, the heart is the teacher, guiding the mouth to learn rightly and speak properly (ref Proverbs 16:23, the Bible)
In the name of progress, how many times have you yielded to decisions that have no ‘heart’ in them? The view from the heart causes emotions and character to touch people, while the presentation from the mind causes skills and desire to touch situations. She was climbing the ladders of success yet found something missing. After a reluctant decision, she sat with me to find out more about her career. As we progressed on the journey of work and live happy, she found she had buried her deepest desires and interests in the pursuit of life. After a great deal of thinking and analyzing, she discussed with the management to let her work for only 6hours a day, while she spent the rest with gifted children. Anuradha (name changed) is a very happy person today.
If we see Life as a powerful ocean only to be crossed, we will end up lonely and lost. The way we travel is as important as the journey itself. As we savor every moment, with thankful hearts, we will find others drawn to travel with us. The going becomes easier and the destination more compelling.
Take time to enjoy the journey.
Ashley J P
