Many of us lament that we don't have enough time for all the things we want to do.If just the day had more hours, then . . .
Then, what?
Would we be less busy during these extra hours? Would we be able to enjoy life more than we usually do?
After having worked hard for many years, a friend of mine is taking a five-year sabbatical.
Doesn't this sound wonderful?
What would you do with five years of not having to work?
What does she do?
Well, she has not slowed down a bit. In an attempt to get as much out of these five years as possible, she rushes from workshop to workshop, from appointment to appointment, from book to book, from one place to see to the next. Instead of scheduling patients, she now schedules events. Her life is as busy as before.
"When we are not using our time to get money, we are using time to spend money." (Wayne Muller, Sabbath, Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight In Our Busy Lives.)
What would you do with so much free time at your disposal?
Would you get up at sunrise, sit silently outside with your cup of coffee to watch the day arriving? Would you allow your pace, gestures, and speech to become less hasty? Would you make time for friends to come over for a round of scrabble? Would you start writing long letters again? Would you stand in line at the check-out with more patience? Would you place your wrist watch in the back corner of the bottom drawer?
In short, would you slowly open to life?
Yes, we need more time.
But not to put even more on our to-do list, but simply to live. "The truth must be told: With all the money in the world, and no time, we have nothing at all" (Wayne Muller).
