I challenge you!

Photo by: Tim Bindner

Today’s post is not meant as judgmental. Only an observation. I will also leave you with a challenge at the end.

This past Sunday we had brunch with Marcie’s family for his birthday, then loaded up some furniture from Marcie’s parent’s house and had it delivered/carried into our house. A few hours later, we dropped off something for our neighbors, had a pleasant visit, then went to dinner.

When we got home around 6:30pm Marcie and I grabber our waters, went out the backdoor and sat on the patio. The weather was in the mid-70s and there was a slight breeze.

On the way home from dinner, I had mentioned that our neighbors (who we had just visited) along with my sister and her sister had to always be doing something and busy. They are not alone. We live in this fast food culture where being busy and always running or doing something is the standard. As a society, we are almost discouraged from just sitting doing nothing (unless you are meditating).

Today Marcie and I went against the norm. We sat outside for over 2.5 hours. Neither of us looked at our phones; we didn’t read; just sat and observed. We watched various birds (Cardinals and Blue jays specifically) land in the tree behind our house and feed from the bird feeders. Watched planes fly overhead and leave chem-trails across the sky, then eventually disappear. Saw birds dart across the sky as well. Listened to them sing both nearby us and off in the distance. I was particularly entertained with the 3 ducks that waddled in our yard and our neighbor’s yard torpedoing after bugs as they zigzagged on the property. We heard frogs in the nearby pond singing their melody as well. I also did my favorite activity and watched the clouds overhead. There was often an occasional visit from a bumblebee or two. He/she had no intention of hurting us, just checked us out, did circles around me, then flew off. Only to come back a while later.

Marcie and I had brief conversations, but mostly sat there in silence and watched. This, too, is something that is a rarity. Silence. Along with the busy lives we feel we must have, we cannot sit in silence as it becomes awkward. My mom was great at filling dead air. Others on Marcie’s side of the family are the same. Marcie and I never have had an issue with this.

Does work, school, activities, to-do lists really mean that much? Are we missing out on the true beauty of our world? Most people I know cannot, in fact, sit still. Again, not a judgement but a product of society.

My buddy Mark likes to camp. He loves sitting by a campfire with his wife (and friends sometimes) and just relaxing. He also likes to hike. Alone or with me. The solitude and often lack of cell service can be very refreshing.

I often wish we could go back to the times of Andy Griffith and Mayberry. Sitting around on the porch on Sunday’s and just relaxing. The progress of our society (if that is what you want to call it), now teaches us to go, go, go. Have to-do lists, attend games or activities, working late, attending school functions all while complaining about having to do them is the opposite of progress.

My challenge to you is this. Take one hour within the next week. Put your phone down and sit outside. Don’t read, don’t look at your phone, iPad, tablet, nothing. Sit and observe. No answering the phone, no texting, no sleeping. You can do this at home, in a park, wherever. Can you do it without distractions or something to do? It is not as easy as you think, but well worth the time and effort.

I’d love to hear if you could do this and what you learned from the experience?

Until next time,

Tim (Kilmer)