Psalm 103:15-16
“As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.”
Last week I wrote about the joy of sitting out on our beach deck listening to the sounds of nature as I sat silently. It truly felt like a holy experience, a gift from God sent through nature. Had I not taken the time to sit in absolute stillness, I would have missed the choral concert of cicadas, crickets, birds, and even bees. Their song would have been no more than background noise to some other consuming outdoor activity.
On the long drive home, I was again reminded of the importance of sitting still, of slowing down, of being fully present. While I sat in the passenger’s seat during the 12-hour trip home, I built three photo albums from pictures on my phone. As I scanned through my cell phone picture bank, the realization hit me of just how much we had lived through since I’d last looked through our pictures. Happy times with our daughters, family, and friends felt fleeting. I wanted to relive those happy events all over again. If I could just call back time to enjoy this or that event for one more day. The reminder of life’s brevity saddened me.
Oh how much we miss when we charge right through life! Oh, to savor the happy moments, live more fully in the present, and soak in the joy of shared time with loved ones. Today’s scripture reminds us of just how quickly the minutes tick by. Though we can’t stop the clock, we can strive to live more fully in the present.
This week, let’s slow down – listen, watch, smell, taste and fully enjoy God’s bounty and blessings.
Diana Kongkeattikul
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