My mom used to say, of ads on television. “They show so many images, so fast, I can’t tell what they are even advertising.” Which is probably a good thing, in my opinion. Most of it, we don’t need anyway. What I notice these days is that they also talk fast, and always tell you to hurry and get this before it’s gone. As far as I can tell, it’s never gone, so no worry. Hurry, of course, is because if you stop to consider you may decide not to bite.
There’s too much hurry in our world. Many people talk faster than I can listen; other people have noticed this too. The younger the person, the faster they talk, but then they do everything in a hurry. We’re encouraged to cram more into our day and fill our space with noise. Who says I like the kind of music that’s played in the grocery store or café? Headphones for runners? How about listening to the birds or even paying attention to the weather? I might want to visit with the person next to me at a sporting event but it’s impossible because of loud music on the speaker system.
It’s rare to sit in an eating place and have leisurely conversations. Drive through, get fast food, and do errands on your lunch hour. Schools have made family dinner hour a thing of the past. Someone always has to go to band practice, be in the gym, or attend a game. And we allow this, even encourage more participation and a larger offering of options.
I’m not as speedy as I once was but can still get ahead of myself so a few years ago, I gave up hurrying for Lent. Liked the new pace so much that I kept it. Still have a slip now and then, and generally pay for it. Nothing done in a hurry is done well.
Hurrying doesn’t save time; it just makes us miss a lot of life. We didn’t notice that the person we said good morning to looked sad. We didn’t hear the meadowlark singing, or see the rabbit peeking out of a windbreak. We don’t make time for friendship talks, or quiet contemplation.
When I’m in a hurry, I’m likely to agree to a commitment or request without considering whether it’s something I have time for, or can do responsibly. I’m learning to say, “I’ll get back to you after I think this over.”
Emergencies require an immediate response, but, honestly, there aren’t many real emergencies in life. We can create our own, if we’re addicted to drama, and those are choices that limit our options. Try backing off, why don’t you?
Meet me here next week and meanwhile, do your best. Somebody might like it.