Have we forgotten how to slow down, enjoy daily life?
Have we forgotten how to slow down, really relax, and enjoy daily life as it rushes by? I saw a rerun of a very funny sit-com on NBC last evening that did a great parody on this theme. The episode revolved around a community college (yes, it was that sit-com) professor who was urging his students, a la Robin Williams in the movie, to “seize the day”!
In real life, have we forgotten how to do that? Are we such slaves to the pace of high-tech life and living that we simply don’t know how to stay “in the moment” and enjoy each day? Are we in such desperate need of immediate gratification that we simply have no patience for anything? We look for “instant” and quick action in every area of our lives, from demanding an instant life insurance quote to rudely taking cell phone calls and text messaging in the middle of a meal with friends.
A friend reminded me not long ago that 30 seconds used to seem like a short span of time. But in today’s world, with instant on/instant off electronics and high-speed Internet access, 30 seconds seems like an eternity to us, doesn’t it?
I don’t have an easy answer to all this. I’m convinced that we all rush around too much and have forgotten those old cliches about taking time to smell the roses. I just hope we can all find a few minutes each day, especially during the hustle and bustle of holidays, for some “quiet time” or time to settle back and enjoy a big whiff of those roses!
