I’m imagining a conversation with myself today.
Me: Why such hurry? Why such stress?
Self: Dude! Are you not paying attention? How could you even ask those questions?
Me: Well, I get that these are challenging times—perhaps even unprecedented in our lifetime, but …
Self: If I hear “unprecedented” one more time, somebody’s getting a bloody nose!
Me: I’m sorry. I did not mean to offend.
Self: Yeah, I know. That’s not how you roll. It’s just frustrating.
Me: I know. But it should be safe to ask those questions just between us.
Self: True. Just don’t do it out loud in public or people will think we’re nuts.
Me: Deal. So, is it ok for me to ask those questions again? About hurry and stress?
Self: Sure. I guess things have been crazy for so long that it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind. I just feel like I need to do something to help.
Me: I get it. Seriously, I do. Too often I wonder if anything I’m doing matters to anyone—if I’m making any impact at all.
Self: What if “impact” is not the goal?
Me: What do you mean?
Self: What if it’s not about your impact, but instead it’s about your contribution?
Me: You mean like simply doing my part with what I have?
Self: That’s a good starting place. Remember what you preached in that church a few days ago?
Me: Psalm 23?
Self: That’s it. “The Lord is my Shepherd … He causes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul.”
Me: Seems like I might have mentioned that we need to learn to operate out of a posture of rest. To slow down. To cease striving and struggling. To let God return us to what we were made for, remind us that He is with us, and renew our vitality.
Self: Have you though that maybe you should practice what you preach?
Me: You’ve got a point there … Hey! Wait a minute! Didn’t we start this conversation with ME asking YOU why you were hurried and stressed?
Self: It’s almost like it’s impossible to tell where one of us starts and the other stops.
Me: So, if we were going to mention some practical ideas that might help some other people learn to take a step back from hurry and stress, what would we suggest?
Self: Is this like when Mrs. Sweetie says, “We” need to do something?
Me: Don’t go there.
Self: Good call.
Me: I’ve got a practical idea: Learn to embrace the space.
Self: Space? You mean like Captain Kirk’s rocket ride?
Me: No, not that space. I mean the space between activities and responsibilities. I mean learning to embrace moments of stillness and solitude—maybe even boredom—without snatching up your phone to scroll through social media.
Self: But I might miss out on something important.
Me: Important? Like the comments that raise your blood pressure and tempt you to go off on a rant? That kind of important?
Self: Be quiet. I’m embracing the space.
Me: Ok. Let’s just sit on the porch for a bit and take a few deep breaths. Watch the deer grazing across the road. Feel the gentle breeze. Thank God for shepherding us.
Self: That would be amazing.
