Loosen the List

Driven by accomplishments, many of us wake up each morning enslaved to the tyranny of a too-long to-do list. Time is money. We feel justified by what we do, not by who we are.

So we fly through each day anxious to check more jobs off of the list, but finding that in fact the more we check off, the more we add on. I know that personally I find it so satisfying to either score out or check off something that I hurry to do the easy jobs first just to bask in the sense of satisfaction. 

And so I arrive at late afternoon (now) aware that the important things which take a bit more time are still on the list. Feeling empty and weary from the rush of accomplishing things and needing time in life’s lay-by to refuel.

Come to me, Jesus says. I will give you rest.

We don’t need to earn that rest. We don’t need to keep moving to justify ourselves. We just need to call time out, to breathe deep, to relax, to cogitate, to stare into space or into the sky or the garden or even the middle distance. We might be thinking deep thoughts, or our minds might be a blank. 

Doesn’t matter. I should rush off and do pilates, practice my cello, study Russian (yes, really...), or skype my mother.

I'm only going to do one of those things. The one that matters.

Take a break. With or without a KitKat.