Do. Do. Do. Go. Go. Go. Be. Be. Be. - These are monikers of our lives. We are applauded for going, doing, and being. We are pushed to action. We ask each other “What did you do this weekend, or what are you doing this weekend?” We inquire, “Was your vacation fun?”
It’s all about movement and motion.
And yet we are missing the power in being still. Going slow. Pausing. Breathing. Reflection. Processing.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating laziness or being disengaged from life. But I AM advocating taking regular moments and breaks in the midst of it.
The older I get the more my body is telling me to slow down. In a family that loves activity and adventure - this can be hard. I can feel like the weak leak. The bottleneck. The one at the end of the line in a herd of racers. And yet this is where I feel fullness. This is where I see God instead of racing by and not hearing Him or noticing Him. And this is my challenge - to show Him to the rest of my crew, lest they learn that life is only enjoyed during the journey, instead of finding joy in the quiet and stillness that come.
I’ve learned that it’s not the big moments that bring the best memories. It’s the small ones. It’s not the grand gesstures that are the most meaningful. It’s the intentional. And it’s not the loud times that give me clarity. It’s the quiet.
These are the very things our world tends to ignore, overlook, and push aside. These are the laughable. The simple.
And yet they’ve become my solace, my secret, my strength.
I can only BE the best me - when I have time to hear my own thoughts. Feel my own feelings. Sort out my own problems.
There is such power there. Such motivation.
So when I go on vacation, I’m learning there are times for fun. And there are times for reflection. Both have their place. And I don’t need to GO and DO something every day - every moment. Instead, I can stop. Look around. Take in where I am, what I’m hearing and learning, and let it wash over my soul.
Those moments may not have splashy pictures attached to them to show the world, but they have deep seeds ingrained in them that show my heart.
Life isn’t meant to be all movement and motion. The greatest rewards often come in the solace and stillness.
