I often fight a feeling of being restless. I think this is why I often find myself in a dozen or so projects where two or three would suffice for each 24-hour day. I am not exactly sure where this restless feeling originated-perhaps it was because I was overcommitted as early as elementary school. Or that I feel under-qualified at 23, doing research for a book, assisting in the production of a film, writing a script for a commercial, and promoting various artists. Or perhaps it is because I desire to have another degree or two in the works, but little by little…I am learning to be content with where I am at.
To be honest, it is a daily battle for me-I love being busy and productive. I have even placed my identity in having such a packed schedule. The following quote (which I have on my Facebook© profile page) has helped me to step back and take note of what and who I have become. It has also helped me to stop myself when I find myself so restless that I cannot focus on what really matters.
I am so busy. We say this to one another with no small degree of pride, as if our exhaustion were a trophy, our ability to withstand stress a mark of real character. The busier we are, the more important we seem to ourselves and, we imagine, to others. To be unavailable to our friends, and family, to be unable to find time for the sunset, to whiz through our obligations without time for a single mindful breath, this has become the model of a successful life. –Wayne Muller
I am still battling this on a nearly daily basis, but I am also making it a point to ‘take care of myself’ by stepping out and away to a quiet place where I meet with God and I slow down. For now, I have found Radnor Lake (but 8 minutes away from my apartment) and the picture above is from a location near my favorite spot to rest, reflect, and listen to the God of all creation.
