I was challenged this week to "ruthlessly eliminate hurry" from my life. The story was retold by a speaker at the conference, but was original to John Ortberg, a favorite author of mine. Anyway, John calls one his mentors and says to him, "I'm really feeling very depressed and like I can't live up to everything. I've got so many things I need to do and it leaves no time for me, my family, God..." His mentor said to him, "Ruthlessly. Eliminate. Hurry." Ortberg responded, "Oh, that's great! What's the next step?" ;)
That *is* the only step. Eliminate hurry from your life. Huh, that sounds both simple and infuriating, right? I put that into practice this week. Living "alone" for 4 days makes it sort of easy to eliminate hurry, I think. My typical type-A personality lost out to my desire to slow down and relax. It was fantastic. I never rushed or felt stressed in lines at the airport, I didn't feel pressure to be 15 minutes early to everything, cutting short my morning prep time or coffee stop. I just, I let things happen. I allowed myself to take time to do my hair, relax in my room, and meander through the hotel shops on my way to meetings.
I guess that's pretty easy to do when you're transported from the "bleak mid winter" of upstate New York and dropped in sunny central Florida in a gorgeous resort. I took time. And it reminded me of all those trips I rushed through, so worried about the destination that I never enjoyed the adventure of getting there. What a miserable person I must be to be around sometimes! Life is so humbling. I am so thankful for grace and the ability to change.
Now comes the real challenge. Of course it's easy to meander and slow down in the vacuum of a solo trip to a gorgeous location. But what about a 20 degree morning when the boys are whining and I'm late for work? Or those times when Levi asks me "Mommy will you ________ with me?" and I'm thinking, "I really need to ______."
I will always be a task-oriented person and that is a challenge for me as a wife, mother, and friend. I fully admit I am not always the life of the party (no laughing, friends and family!). I don't think I will ever be a care-free, fly by the seat of your pants, kind of person. But I can slow the heck down. Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from my life.
Because really? That person who rushes, pushes, and speeds around you on the highway? Usually they are sitting right next to you in the toll booth. Hurry only frustrates, it doesn't really get you anywhere much faster. And who knows what adventure you might be missing on the way!
