An Anecdote About Being Too Busy

In 1982, when my wife Susie and I returned from a year in Mexico it was recommended to us that we consider Bethel Temple in St. Paul as a church to visit. Good people, good pastoral ministry, good worship, and good people. (O.K. yes, I said that twice.) Anyways, a very friendly blonde-haired fellow welcomed us after we visited the church, perhaps the first or maybe second time. He had a warm heart and our conversation was quite engaging.

In fact, I was so impressed with the wavelength he was on that I knew very early on this was someone I would like to get to know better. I could also tell, quite quickly, that he had a lot of responsibilities, was himself a very busy person with a very full life. In my somewhat direct manner I asked him, “Is your life too busy to have another friend?” (Or something like that.) He probably was, but graciously Henry and Lisa allowed Susie and I into their lives, for which we were exceptionally grateful.

Are you too busy to allow another person or new experience into your life?

A mutually enriching lifelong friendship evolved.

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Don't get out much? Want to meet new people? There's plenty to do and see in the local arts scene that is Free. Bookmark the Twin Ports Art blog and stay current with what is going on in poetry, reading and art.

Next week at the Duluth Art Institute is the Annual Member Show which I always try to attend. The opening reception is the same time as the Arrowhead Regional Biennial, a major juried show, always featuring exceptional work.

Art happens. Be part of it.

Peace and Quiet

The fruit of Silence is Prayer.
The fruit of Prayer is Faith.
The fruit of Faith is Love.
The fruit of Love is Service.
The fruit of Service is Peace.
~Mother Theresa

We live such frantic lives these days, rushing to check email, our Facebook friends and all manner of activities, attending events, working on projects... not to mention our manifold career and family responsibilities. And when the children are in the home, rushing here and there to soccer games, baseball games, hockey practice, scouts, and friends' houses.....

We feel good about not having to haul water from the well as they did in the old days, or chop wood, but maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. They were active instead sitting in chairs and moving from the computer to the easy chair to the car seat during one's commute to the seat at the office.

I like the title of that Nicholson film, "Something's Gotta Give." Don't know what, don't know when, don't know where, but as much as I like to say "embrace life to the full" I also understand you need to pull back now and then to re-center. It's a matter of balance.

How you doin' in that department?