These are questions I asked after reading my Mom's Blog entitled Mary Jane. She spoke about teenage depression parenting and so on. While reading it many questions popped into my head but I want to focus on the 3 listed above.
The first question is "What ever happened to being able to enjoy the day and relax?"
Well, what happened to make us so busy we rush around like chicken with our heads cut off - trying to accomplish unattainable lists of things to do during the day? Why must we feel guilty about taking time to enjoy our families or just smelling the roses?
I was watching some show a long time ago about how much we try to jam pack into our days and how we are now trying to do the same thing with our children's schedule. I know I must be a bit old fashioned but I know kids should have a good work ethic but they also need their down time to just be kids and enjoy life. If we put too much into our lives we will feel as though we haven't done anything with our days.
The second question is "When did it become important to fill our lives with stuff and things to do?"
Do you feel like you are accomplishing something when you have a huge long list of things to do during the day only to find not enough hours in the day to complete the list? I know I only do one or two chores on my weekly list per day to combat the feeling of not accomplishing anything. I feel really good when I mark those items off my list and still have time to enjoy my family.
Really if you are jam packing your day too much you will find yourself over tired and not happy and you and your family will suffer. Do you set aside time in your day to have dinner with your family at a real diner table? or do you find yourself grabbing whatever thru a drive thru and eating on the go?
And the third question is Do we really need to be busy 24/7?
Well do you really need to be busy and tired 24 hours a day - seven days a week? I realize we live in a society that values money and how much you make and how many things you have - but really are you happier with all that stuff and no free time to enjoy it?
Do you think your children enjoy their room full of toys that they rarely play with over your lack of time spent with them? What are your priorities? Do you find your always keeping up with the mythical Jone's? Do you really need to trade up for a new car every year or a TV in every room? What should be at the top of your priority list - making absurd amounts of money and never having the time to enjoy your family or should your family be at the top of your list and making sure you can enjoy them and all they have to offer?
I know for me my family is a top priority and I want to spend time with them - I don't want to be running around like a chicken with it's head chopped off trying to accomplish a weeks worth of chores/errands in one day. I want to be able to see my kids grow and enjoy their childhood and know what they like and enjoy - not wonder what it is they like but really know and encourage them.
Yes, we all need money to survive but really do you need to be so far in debt that you have to work anywhere from 60-85 hours in a week or more because you are living outside your means trying to keep up with those darn Jone's? Do you really need a new car or will a used car that doesn't require a car payment do just as well?
Do you want to have a happy life or a life full of stuff that you can't take with you when you die? The only things you will get to take with you when you leave this earth are your memories, life experiences and do you want to just leave this world with the thoughts of all the stuff you purchased or do you want to have something meaningful to take with you?
Do you need the latest and the greatest or would you rather see your kids doing those momentous firsts that you cannot replace? These are questions that run thru my mind and I know I am not the most eloquent with my words but I think I get the point across.
Remember it's not the THINGS in our lives that make us happy but the PEOPLE that fill our lives.
When I start thinking about how crazy our society has become I remember that song by Alabama entitled "I'm in a hurry". It has always hit a chord with me and I have tried to slow my life down and enjoy the simple moments and not try to sweat the small stuff or not having what the Jones's have.
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