Full speed

As I begin typing - this is only a half-formed thought...

I think I don't know how to live a "slow" life. I think I am a full-speed kind of person. As much as I often think "Holy crap! I am too busy!"..... when I am not "too busy" then I get bored and dissatisfied with my life.

What I think my real challenge should be is not to slow down, per se... but to make sure the things that keep me busy are true priorities in my life.

In college during a managerial commnunications course - we got an illustrative example of what it means to live according to values and priorities..

Imagine you have a 5 quart jar, and piles of rocks of varying sizes, and then gravel, and then sand. There's enough sand to fill up the entire jar... but when you pick up the sand - it falls through your fingers, and takes great effort to fill the jar. There's enough gravel to fill the jar. It's easier to pick up, and you can fill your jar more quickly - but it still takes time. What if you start with the big rocks? They are substantial... they will quickly fill the jar. There will still be gaps, but you can add in gravel, and sand - and the jar is full.

The jar is your life. The big rocks should be your dearest values and priorities. Fill your life with those things first. It still leaves room for lower priorities... the gravel and the sand, but if those things slip through your fingers - the loss is not substantial to a full life, well lived.

I've been thinking about that a lot these days - that I want a life with substance... that doesn't just slip past without my notice, like sand through my fingers.