The Stream and The Lake

I often find it challenging to slow down.  There seems to be an inner drive that keeps me moving forward, so of like a shark. (Okay, granted that would be a rather harmless and lazy shark, but let me have the metaphor!) I have a real tendency to fill the days with stuff, while at the same time I am struggling to fill the days with less stuff. It certainly creates its own form of dynamic tension.

Today is a classic example. I’ve had a highly productive day at work.  I should take the quiet afternoon and try and work on some of the long term things that I need to pay attention to, but I keep finding myself drawn to the endless stream of small things. What I need to do is turn my back on that stream for a while. I need to focus on those items that require deep thinking, as opposed to just shallow and reactive thinking.

But, for reasons known only to the universe, that is a much harder challenge for me than it should be. Phones, email and instant messages always draw me back to that shallow stream that bubbles along, full of turbulence and air, when I desire to spend time at the edge of a great, vast, and still lake. Well, as difficult as it is, I am going to give that a try right now – I am going to step away from the stream and focus on the lake.  Wish me luck.