Psalm 62: “In you alone is my soul at rest. My help comes from you.”

After hustling all through high school and into the first year of college to take part in every sport known to human beings -- well, at least to the school -- Sarah asserted herself. She had played softball, basketball, volleyball, hockey; she had rowed and ran. Finally she told the softball coach that she wasn't going to play anymore. He was upset. She thought to herself and tried to explain to him: “I need time to be human, to think, to pray, to know my friends.” (Do you think she might have caught her parents sitting quietly in a chair, reading a book, or just thinking?)

We often talk or hear talk about the good use of our time. But in our society that sometimes is the equivalent of saying that every moment of time must be packed with some activity. It begins even in grade school; children and their parents are measured by how many activities, sports, theater, music, the boy or girl is involved in.

Our use of time is frenetic. Our time is so frenzied that there's little left for simply being. Shouldn't there be some time to sit back so as to be able to look at what we're doing and evaluate it? Where does this fit into my life? Or even further: what is life for? “What is this life, if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare?” For adults even breakfast, lunch and dinner become mere accompaniments to business.

Enjoying another's company, conversation, even a meal seems to be a throwback to some primitive stage in our evolution when people didn't really know that time was money. Doesn't the young lady mentioned earlier have the right idea? Let's hope she's able to enjoy lunch with a friend or time under the trees without regretting that she's not at rugby practice.

Psalm 27: “I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness / in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord; be strong; / be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord!”

Reply to Fr. Don at: DTalafous@csbsju.edu

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