Interaction

Interestingly I've come to realize how infrequently we all actually ENGAGE.

If I can text a number and donate $5 in under five seconds - you GOT me!  It meets my time criteria and 'action' level so therefore involvement is authorized.

If I have to DO anything that requires thought, input, negotiation, coordination, or INTERACTION of any kind whatsoever (no matter how seemingly simple) - Forget it!  [sound annoying buzzer please followed by The Voice in Jim Carrey-esque tone saying: "Thanks for playing..."]

At first, I was a little hurt.  I took any lack of interaction personally.  I mean, hmmm - I asked seemingly thought-provoking questions, right?  I gave good directions.  Left time for questions.  Walked through the process (the "how to" piece).  So what then?  What was I missing?? (I wondered)

I was missing the basics.

I've come to realize that in America at least, most of us are just tired.  Tired of making decisions all day.  Tired of running errands.  Tired of dieting.  Tired of exercising.  Tired of never going on vacation for more than a long weekend.  Tired of walking the dog(s).  Tired of old mattresses and lumpy pillows.  Tired of getting up at 4 am and working till 8 or 9.  Tired of grocery shopping.  Tired of Male Enhancement and other Drug Commercials.

Tired of just about everything................

... so we can ONLY 'give' the $5 in under 5 seconds because at LEAST then we can feel like we engaged in something MORE.  We can feel good about that one small contribution, right?

Who has time for ANYthing else?

The truth is that none of us HAVE the time.  But some make time.  And we marvel at their generosity, how they champion those who have been hurt, are poor, or suffered.

Eventually though, if we're honest, we get fatigued by it all -- remember Haiti?  Fundraisers at work?  Darfur?  New Orleans?  now floods in Pakistan?

There's nutrition issues in schools, overcrowding and bullying.  There's political crises everywhere we look with ALL sides shouting that the SKY IS FALLING!  the SKY IS FALLLLLIIINNNNGGGG!

Everybody has a cause.
Everybody has a story.
Everybody has an opinion.

Is it any wonder then that the only thing we can stomach more than one day a week is a so-called REALITY TV show where people who've had their 15 minutes of fame learn to dance for 15 more? or nostalgic shows where we can get lost for an hour in another time or place?

Not really.  We're bombarded all day, every day.  Our minds pulled literally in about 100 different directions at any given time.  Information Overload.

HOW then could anyone possibly have a real, honest-to-goodness discussion about anything that isn't because of a conflict or advertisement:  something we're trying to prove vs. learn?

Who has time to think, let alone engage or truly interact?  Our lives are reduced to headlines or the 140 character limits of a Twitter response.

At this point, cue music / video:  "CALGON, TAKE ME AWAY!" and we smile.

We smile because we all know it's true and we long for peace.

We long for a MOMENT

But, so what?

The so-what is that life actually occurs in MOMENTS!  ...and usually in those oh-so-precious QUIET Moments that we never seem to get frequently enough.  And again, I wondered "why is that?"

Hmmmm?  And then I started to get an idea:

Instead of being on the receiving end of Information Overload, what else could I do? What ACTION could I take?!  ahhhhaaaa!

I challenge us all to ENGAGE in THREE Quiet Moments at least ONE day this week.  And yes, all three need to happen in the same day, not spread over three days............... !  ;)

Here's the Schedule:

1. In the Morning -- whether it's when you're in the shower, drinking your coffee, or that 60 seconds right after the kids leave for school or before you get in the car to drive to work, take a MOMENT - at least 90 whole seconds - for yourself to be QUIET.  STILL.  NO TASKS, NO ISSUES, NO NOISE. 
2. During the Day -- at some point between the morning and PM Rush Hour Traffic, take another whole MOMENT - this time at least 120 seconds - for yourself.  Same deal - QUIET.  STILL.  NO TASKS, NO ISSUES, NO NOISE. 
3. Before Bed -- take 180 seconds -- but this time INTERACT with someone else.  Someone you care about, someone you love.  Take a Moment to just be WITH them.  Stroke your child's hair or massage your spouse's shoulders.  Or simply, just sit with them.   Just BE in their presence... and BE Present.  NO TV.  NO COMPUTER.  NO VIDEO or AUDIO of any kind.  NO TECHNOLOGY.  NO QUESTIONS.  NO ISSUES.  NO TASKS.  No Noise.....................!

Now, before you close your eyes and go to sleep on your Interaction Day - think for just a moment about how you FEEL...  about how those three individual MOMENTS felt...?

Breathe in those moments.

Relive the memory.

and allow your mind to RELAX.

Just for this one day there's no pressure to have it all figured-out or be all things to all people or even to really DO anything.  Simply empower yourself by allowing these Quiet Moments.


Why?
because it's the Quiet moments that will give voice to your Vision!

THINK.    WRITE.    BELIEVE.     ACT.