The author told about her experience in the Peace Corps. She said, "I learned a lot about slowing down, finding joy, not rushing through life... There is an old saying in the Peace Corps... 'If you go to Latin America, you will come back politically aware; if you go to Asia, you will come back more culturally aware; and if you go to Africa, you will come back laughing.' And I did come back laughing. Without all of our wonderful western distractions, that which is essential becomes clear pretty quickly."
The article talks about the author's desire to slow down life in her home. She says, "Being constantly on, connected, and turned in to various media sources is exhausting. And being crammed with all this activity leaves little room for new thoughts and creative expressions. Most of us are juggling more than is healthy, and yet, we've been trained to think that we always have to be busy. That's why slowing down is a radical choice. And, after being on the move my whole life, I was ready to do something radical."
Reading the article was like a breath of fresh air. There's something so appealing about slowing down and "de-cluttering" life. Adjusting to life as a stay-at-home mom has been a big paradigm shift for me. Prior to resigning last May, I had gotten to the point where I packed my life and schedule as busy as I could. It felt exhilarating to rush from one thing to the next and I never had a moment to be bored.
When I was in college, I worked 20-30 hours a week, carried a full and demanding course load, served in the church, participated in extracurricular activities, and tried to carry on a social life. I also didn't have much down time. When I graduated, I slipped right into employment in the world of large, public accounting firms and "enjoyed" how quickly a 60 or 70 hour work week could pass when I was fully engaged in several busy projects. I was tied to my computer at all hours, constantly checking my work email and voicemail for updates, questions, or responses. There was always something going on. I think I even started to believe that taking a break (even a LUNCH break) was akin to wasting time or being lazy. I measured my worth, my productivity, in my ability to accomplish things thoroughly, quickly, efficiently, and perfectly.
And then my son entered the picture.
Having a baby forces you to slow down. Not that life gets easier or less busy (in fact, I would say quite the opposite!), but it definitely slows down. There is no more rushing through the day being mentally stimulated, feeling productive, and seeing how much you have accomplished. Some days (or MOST days) I FEEL like I am rushing all day only to look around me at my trashed house, stained clothing, and sink full of dishes wondering what on EARTH I did all day.
And although life is busy, busy, busy, it is slower. Some days the moments pass so slowly that I don't know how I will make it through the remaining 12 hours until bedtime. But there are other moments. Slow moments where I watch my son's delighted face as he discovers yet ANOTHER rock on the sidewalk. The way he looks up at every plane that flies overhead. His amazement at discovering that when he throws sand up in the air, it will come back down and land on his head. His joy at recognizing and naming various things in our home, outside, or at the store. These moments force me to slow down and pay attention, or I will miss them.
I used to think that I needed to keep myself busy doing a million things or else it meant I was lazy or somehow worth less. At times, it was also invigorating. But as I've adjusted to being a stay-at-home mom, I've uncomfortably (because it always seems to be somewhat painful to change your viewpoint) discovered that isn't true. It's ok to not be constantly running and doing a million things at once, as long as you are doing the ESSENTIAL things, the BEST things. And sometimes, part of doing the essential things is to NOT be busy or engaged in a million different things all of the time.
In the March Ensign, there is an article called, "Digital Detachment & Personal Revelation."In the article, Scott D. Whiting writes:
"We carry wireless telephones that can store hundreds of numbers, are able to take both moving and still pictures, and can access never-ending streams of information from an unseen source. We can play thousands of songs from a device no larger than a credit card. We can surf the Internet at any time of the day or night and quickly move across the intellectual and physical globe in images and information..."
"While modern technological advancements can enhance the work of the Lord and bless us and our families, we must be careful not to fall victim to their destructive side. We must not only avoid the base and degrading content some sources contain, but we must also recognize when electronic distractions keep us from quieter, more significant uses of our time. We must guard against becoming so attached to digital devices that we become detached from God." [And I would add, our families - or the other things that are truly important.]
"Sometimes the most productive 'point and click' application is that of pointing our finger at the power button and clicking our digital devices off."
I'm happy to say that in regards to certain distractions, I do quite well, but I am not perfect and often find myself wasting time online or in other ways. I want to do better at living life in the "slow lane." I want to do better at making sure I am focusing on the essential things and then filling the rest of my time with useful activities. In Sunday School today, the teacher brought up an interesting thought. In regards to prioritizing our lives, he said something to the effect of, "When we are 90, will we look back at the things we spent our life doing and feel that we spent it doing the things that matter most?"
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