Busy Life Violence

Thomas Merton said, "to allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything is to succumb to violence." Isn't that a great take on our modern day busy lives? Funny thing, he wrote that in the 1960's! Seems like we have been on this trajectory for a while and it doesn't look like we are able to stop this violence against ourselves. In previous blogs I've talked about the fallacy of thinking we can do it all and be all things to all people. Yet, despite the truth of that statement we still over commit, overdo, over extend ourselves. I certainly know that I'm more guilty of it than I would care to admit. (It is also said that you teach best what you most need to learn so I guess I'm convicted on this one!).

There are any number of reasons why we do this but I'm more interested in moving forward with a solution rather than looking at the cause. So when I read this poem by Rainer Maria Rilke something struck me. He writes: "Once for each thing. Just once; no more. And we too, just once. And never again. But to have been this once, completely, even if only once:to have been at one with the earth seems beyond undoing." The thought that struck me was with only so much time allotted to us we must be sure that what we are choosing to do with our time is what will bring us what we need, what we want to know and how we want to build our legacy with and on this earth.

For some this will mean sampling and attempting as much as possible - to experience it all. For others it will mean slowing down and savoring each moment, each encounter, each relationship. Both choices mean acknowledging that we will only do this life once. To make the choice to expend ourselves when it is not what we want or need is to denigrate the gift of life that has been given to you. To make the choice to not participate fully in day to day living is to do the same.

Being fully aware of our choices brings us from the violence of overdoing or the waste of underdoing brings us face to face with some challenging questions. What is there about your life at this moment that is unique, that is extraordinary because you are alive at the same time as another, that is the answer to the one question that means the most to you? What wisdoms are you willing to open yourself up to in choices?