Life in the Fast Lane

Whew. I think I may have underestimated how busy life gets. Really, it's not a complaint, just more of an observation. I am actually very at peace with where I am in life, which makes the fact that life is flying past me even more frustrating at times. Sometimes, all I want is to be able to slow down and take in the scenes. I want to kick back and enjoy all of the projects and tasks that I'm engaged in.

But that's not how life is--at least not mine. Too often, I feel like I just stepped out into a lane of interstate traffic. But I've recently come to some very important realizations.

First of all, life isn't going to slow down. As much as I'd like it to, it won't. So my options are either: 1) go into early retirement or 2) live with it. And I don't mean "deal with it." I mean live with it, as in find the joy and unexpected surprises that come with a fast-paced life. Life is more enjoyable when you're along for the ride, not pouting in the backseat.

Secondly, focusing on the negative will just not cut it. No one ever brought anyone else to realize their salvation in Christ by whining at them. My life will not become a banner that says: Live a life in Christ and you'll end up just as frumpy as I am!!

Third, it helps to reorient yourself to see Christ as the source and culmination of life itself. It becomes so easy to get lost in yourself, or lost in the moment, but soon enough, you realize that years have passed and it's all been for nothing. But having a specific goal in mind at all times makes the journey so much more enjoyable!

Which leads me to my fourth point: life is about service. When we concentrate on how busy we are, we lose sight of others. Nothing made me realize this more than a little time spent at the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels with the Franciscans of the Eucharist. They have such a clear focus in their lives. Arguably much busier than I am, they still manage to make it all about living the Gospel and serving others. When we take the focus off ourselves and give more selflessly to others, the details all work themselves out in the end. We just need to trust. God will take care of the rest.