Tyranny of the Urgent, Again.

This morning I took a shirt trip to Sams Club and bought a couple items. Sams Club brings a mixture of people; those who are meandering and carefully looking at items, while they lean on their over sized carts, and there are those who are buying for business with their flatbeds and lists hurrying about and looking determined.

I found myself shifting between the two today; only speaking or making eye contact when a collision ensured, but moving slowly and taking in the different products and people purchasing them. It wasn't a particularly busy morning in Sams Club. I got into a lane where a couple who appeared Chinese in ethnicity were finishing up their purchase. Their change was a dollar and some cents. I handed my card to the young lady who had multiple visible tattoos and she asked me to leave the heavier items in the cart. Items were scanned and she told me the total. I paid in several twenties and she was meticulously counting them; rubbing her fingers together, making sure I didn't over pay her (I'm not sure if that's the reason). But she was over zealous and tore one of the twenties right in half.; right don the middle. She looked shocked and repeated that she had ripped a twenty in half a couple times and told me not to worry about it (i wasn't). She finished the transaction; she was still holding the twenties, all of them. The receipt printed and she handed it to me and I started to leave; as if i was in a hurry. She said, oh don't forget your change as she was holding a half of a twenty in each hand and the others were strewn around the checkout counter. I said, oh that's right, as I realized that I really was not in a hurry. So I backed up and waited for her to get the change out of the drawer as we made small talk about ripped twenties: "it's like two tens" "wish i had some tape" "maybe i should put it i a special spot in the drawer" "money is money".  I noticed her name tag (mostly because I just read a couple pages from a book my wife was reading from her work about customer service), told LaayLaah to have a nice day and went to get my items inspected and marked by security on the way out.

It is so easy to get caught up in the importance of  "our time" and be hurried about what we are doing to get t the next thing that we will be doing.You know, it isn't only busibodies who succumb to the tyranny of the urgent. The lazy do the same thing: waiting until the mail comes then rushing to get it, waiting for the W-2s to spend the refund as quick as possible (like the money is on fire and it would burn if put into your pocket). Hurrying to watch a show impatiently because the one they wanted to watch is on next.
STOP.
Stop recording shows to make you think you are controlling the urgent(though I am sure that some people do manage this well), only to get home and watch everything you have recorded as fast as possible.
STOP.
Meditate on the goodness of God in the peace and quiet.
Sit and do nothing for a couple minutes.
Stand and look around you at the store; what's happening?
Listen to the leaves fall (in Michigan).
Listen to the cars drive, and as you quiet yourself listen to the tires, the fan belts, and even the people or music inside.
Feel the cold (or warmth depending on where you are).

Doing this will help clarify what is urgent and what is important. Breathe.