December's theme seems to be waiting. We wait in traffic, in checkout lines, and what seems like hours at the doctor's office. It's the season of Advent in which we wait for the birth of Christ. In desperation I told my kids last weekend that we were cleaning for Jesus. It wasn't so far from the truth, but normally my religious instruction for the kids is less hands on. Usually they are more conversational or inquisitorial ( is that even a word) depending on how you want to look at two grade school children grilling you on the details of Bible stories you haven't read since you were their age. There might be something to this hands on method.
Some of my best thinking occurs while washing dishes or folding clothes. The rythmic nature of those activities frees something up - the hands are busy but the mind is still or at least freed from the to do list that seems to run in my head 24/7. That could be a big appeal of the Rosary. Not being a so called cradle Catholic the Rosary has not been something that I've focused on a great deal.
This waiting goes beyond Christmas and the holiday season, we wait for our kids to grow up, our spouses to come home, the water to boil, the phone to ring, for the right time,- for so many things. We wait but while we are waiting maybe we should recognize the gift sitting in our laps. Now. Right now is the time that we have, this very moment will not be given again. Although we can't possibly squeeze everything into one single moment while we are there we should do what matters, kiss our babies, cuddle our children, smile at a stranger, watch the sunset and hug our husbands.
Try to do all of that at the same time and you might forget why you are trying to do any of it. Sometimes the moment just requires one thing, to breathe.
3 comments:
You're right, we all are waiting for something to come and we are missing out on what's in front of us. Too often we find ourselves trying to stay one step ahead. We live in such a fast paced world today we never seem to be able to savor the moment.
How true. I have waited to get married, waited for a good job, waited for a home with more storage, waited for the kids to turn out well. I do, however, think that I chose to enjoy the wait. The past 7 years have been the most interesting. The present is my favoite. I have a loving husband, a good job with a future, a new home with lots of hiding spaces, and two kids that are doing very well. I chose to not wait now, but live for the moment. I an happy that way. No worries, no concerns, just pure happiness.
Chris
Chris-
I am really happy for you. Remember Dead Poets Society? Carpe Diem.
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