Reflection

Yesterday I heard a man talk about how our society has disconnected with its life source. It's true. In ages past it was normative for people of all sorts to be unafraid of silence. Indeed, they would seek it out. I'm not saying life was a bed of roses, that they didn't work as hard as we do and then some. It could be effectively argued that we in this present moment enjoy more leisure time than at any point in human history. I'm just saying we use it differently than perhaps we ought.

Whatever "downtime " we may have is utterly filled up with some kind of noise, whether it's various media or entertainment sources or just plain useless busy-ness that produces no beneficial effect. Before the age of the smartphone, cable, internet, tablet, Hulu plus, Netflix, 3D HDTV, IMAX and so on, when people had done with their considerable labors at the end of the week, if they had any energy left, they might pick up a book. For some really raucous fun.

Or, and this is the point of this little article, they just might sit and be quiet and reflect. I think in America especially we have cast this art aside to our own great peril and potential demise. When was the last time you took a walk by yourself, just to mull things over? When was the last time you sat in an utterly quiet house and contemplated your life? Can you recall when you last decided enough was enough and turned off the silly boob tube and sat in a chair (or paced the floor) and reflected on your state of affairs? Maybe even talked to God about it all? And, craziest of all thoughts here, waited for Him to speak?

I'm just saying. I've never seen such a busy lot as we modern Americans. We're always going here or there, rushing as we go because we're late, and cursing everybody who dares to challenge our overpacked schedules. I'm just saying. Simplify. Quieten down a bit. Breathe. Step away from the media input for a while. Don't be afraid of the silence. It can be golden.