Busyness

I have discovered a plague eating away at people's lives, and I'm sad to say that it is highly infectious and spreading rapidly. People don't even notice that its there until its too late. It starts slow then gets faster and faster until its taken over! There's nothing left but the Next Thing, always pressing on from one to the next.

The dreaded, Busyness.

I hate it. I despise it. I loathe...

But here's the kicker... I'm not the busy one. I have been before, but right now that is far from the truth. It seems to me that everyone else I know is taken with the busy bug. They never stop! Its family affairs, work, trips and hobbies, work, church obligations, work, unneeded errands, work, this event, that dinner, those meetings, WORK.

How is this possible? How did they let it happen? How can they continue on in it? How long will they live?

Busyness is this stupid habit that Americans rejoice in. If you're busy, you must be doing something right. People want you, you're getting things accomplished, you're making money.

Blah. Is it worth it? I think I'd rather be scraping by financially and have dear friends I spend time with constantly. What does all that gain you despite an ulcer and fatigue? Do all those church outings and ministries actually help since you're so exhausted you're only helping half-halfheartedly? Does that extra time at work really give you enough money to get to that next place you want to be, whatever that is? Do your pleasure outings really satisfy? Does that hobby just drain you instead of recharge you? Is constantly going, going, going really helping?

Well, I can tell you one thing that busyness does accomplish. It pushes your relationships away. Being busy is like saying, 'I'm too important for you now. I have better things to do, and lots of them!'

Take time. Cut things from your schedule. Spend time with people you love. Invest time in people you don't know well. You'd be surprised how many of them are waiting for you. The relationships are the real success, all that other stuff... is just busywork. Don't kill yourself for peanuts. Fill your time with people, and you'll be digging into veins of real gold.