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"The race is long and in the end it's
only with yourself."
- Everybody's Free (to Wear Sunscreen)
Baz Luhrman
Like many of you, I was once a time orientated
fellow. I was always five minutes early for appointments. I couldn't
stand when people were late. I sped wherever I went trying to
make better time than the time before.
Perhaps this rush is ingrained in our society
or maybe it's just the competitive male spirit. Whatever the
reason, many of us, including myself, have always been in a hurry
to get where we're going.
This rush has always been about finishing
the next project, getting through the day, surviving the semester
or completing the journey. Due to advances in technology, the
rush has gotten worse. We're spiraling toward a life ruled not
by the clock but the clock's second hand.
Aaaaaahhhhggggg!
A perfect example of living life in a rush
is how I used to hike. Hiking was always about getting to the
top of the mountain in less time than the book says it should.
Why, I'm not sure. I saw the same thing at the top as the last
person in our group did.
On one hike, we invited some friends of the
family to join us. My brother and I had our normal pace-fast
and furious. We got to the top in no time, sat down and enjoyed
our lunch at 10:30 in the morning. It took something like an
extra 30 to 45 minutes for the last person, the wife of the friend's
family, to get to the top. While we waited, we joked at how slow
she was.
When she finally reached the top, she asked
if we had seen the four-leaf clover on the path, the bald eagle
soaring overhead or the rare mountain flower hidden behind a
tree. The answer was "no." I had been in too much of
a hurry to get to the top of the mountain to take the time to
notice life's little beauties. That's when I realized that the
"finish line" isn't always the point of the race. It's
what you see, feel and experience along the way.
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EXERCISE: Take your watch off for
the day. Eat when you are hungry and sleep when you tired.
See what happens?
A. I developed a nervous twitch.
B. I lived by the sun.
C. I was late for all my classes.
D. I stopped being in a rush.
E. Other.
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Don't confuse this with the story of the tortoise
and the hare. It's not slow and steady wins the race. It's that
there may be no race at all. There's something about taking your
time and enjoying the sights. When you realize that completing
the journey isn't what's important, you'll discover what is:
falling in love, having someone to talk with, waking up next
to a beautiful woman, etc In short, it's about enjoying life's
simple joys.
Try this, and you'll find that time which
once ruled your life is now inconsequential. That instead of
time being a competitor pushing you faster; it's a companion
sharing your journey. Don't concern yourself with completing
the race. Concern yourself with what's along the way
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