Racing thoughts before my body is fully awake.
Ticking boxes on the to do list.
Scrolling mindlessly through social media, hoping for something– anything – to distract me from life.
Filling in paperwork at work while questioning what it is actually about.
Running errands with tired feet and an exhausted mind.
Annie Dillard once said, “How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.”
Sometimes I wonder if we waste our time by focusing so much on things that don’t really matter in the long run. By blowing minor details out of proportion. By continuing to run a show we might never have wanted to be a part of anyway. By allowing external factors to push us constantly forward. By keeping ourselves so busy that we have forgotten to listen to the essential, quiet voices in our lives.
I often wish I was more productive. I don’t mean hyper productivity or putting even more pressure on myself (I guess we have enough of that already!). What I mean is to tread carefully and take conscious steps into each day and task.
Do my work with room for creativity, failure and growth.
Be fully present in conversations.
Rest with intention.
Get lost in the good moments and waste time for the things that nourish my soul and relationships with others.
Hold still to watch that sunrise for a moment longer.
Use the hours and minutes that I’ve been given well.
Experience life in abundance with all its highs and lows.
Give myself enough time to feel it all.
Writing for Five Minute Friday today.
thisiskatha.com 
Lovely reflection that I say Amen to too. Thank you, Katha.
Thank you!
I wonder if there may just be
a precept that could truly shatter
a truth that we’re convinced we see,
and it’s the little things that matter,
the time between the glory days,
the time of neatly filled-out forms,
the time of neighbours’ tepid praise,
the time of hewing to life’s norms,
for in these we offer grace
to the harried and the fraught,
and being present in that place,
we may ease another’s lot
through a kind and patient smile,
and willingness to sit awhile.
Andrew, I am always amazed how you find such poetic words – what a blessing!
This is so good, Katha. Love “Hold still to watch that sunrise for a moment longer.”
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Sandra!
“Hold still to watch that sunrise for a moment longer.” … This resonates with me – I’m doing one thing while another is calling to me, creating guilt and pressure, while all the time both things are equally important. So I rush from one thing to another, having several projects going on all at the same time and not really enjoying any of them. Thank you for the wonderful list, the pausing, the savoring. Great post!
Rachel, I am so glad you could take something away from the post!
Great post! I agree, it is very easy to get distracted or to waste time on things that don’t really matter. I would also like to be more intentional and focussed.
I hope you get to practice it a bit this week! 🙂
Love the Anne Dillard quote!
It’s so easy to judge ourselves purely on quantity, isn’t it, rather than God’s measure of our time?
Bless you.
Liz
Your FMF Neighbour #6
Thanks, Liz!