On your mark, get set—go! It’s Black Friday! There’s no stopping us now—shop, shop, shop ‘til we drop—not literally, of course. We’re on autopilot. We can’t stop shopping, moving, talking, doing. There is at least one thing that’ll stop us—a funeral. Do you groan at the sight of blinking hazards, orange “funeral” signs and the lengthy line of cars snaking past you even after your light turns green?
At a funeral l attended last week, I heard that it’s state law to stop for a funeral procession. Later that same day, I came across a second funeral. As the mourners crawled through traffic, headed to the cemetery or to the family meal/repast, their light changed from green to red. Wouldn’t you know that when they kept moving, one of the drivers outside the procession starting beeping? If I had questioned the beeper, I’m certain the driver would come clean and admit to wanting to get home for an “important” TV show.
In our zippy, fast-paced lives it’s difficult to slow down to acknowledge someone else’s grief or to simply savor a moment. In earlier posts, I‘ve suggested ways to question, examine and modify our behavior. Well, I’m offering another challenge: sit. Yep, that’s it. I think this guy is on board. Have a listen:
It’s easy, or is it? Try sitting and doing nothing for a full five minutes—no listening to music, no texting or tweeting, no watching TV. Don’t let the silence stress you out, believe me, it won’t last forever.
Let us know how you feel after tuning out the distractions that compete for your attention, we’d love to hear what you discover.
