A Moment of Your Time

As I look at these watches, one mine, given to me by my youngest daughter and the other belonged to my great grandmother, I remember a line in a song. Something to do with the "17 jewels that dictate the rules".
That song was in the 1970's and people felt that we were too rushed then, being forced to do certain things since the clock told us it was time to.
Now we fuss about not having DSL because it makes us wait longer for things, maybe a whole MINUTE. I don't have DSL. Not sure I want it. It will make me expect things faster and already the times we live in have made us a generation of words like "fast food", "Speedy", "High Speed", "no waiting", "quickie mart" and so on. We are impatient if we have to wait in line for any reason. Some will even put their items back if the lines are long or if there is something wrong at the register. Where is everyone going in such a hurry ? People pass you if you go the speed limit only to get a ticket or have a wreck for reckless driving. All over a few seconds time. Why ? We multi task. Talk on the phone while we drive, while we eat with friends, while we shop and on and on. I don't have a cell phone. Don't want one either. I want to do things one at a time.
All this rushing in life and doing so many things at one time is not working well. Studies just came out saying people are more unhappy now then they were 10 years ago. And 10 years ago, people were more unhappy than they were in the previous 10 years. Not good. We are more stressed, more depressed and more unhappy than ever. Sad, isn't it.
I am all for taking things slower. Take time to visit someone not just call them when you have free minutes on your phone program. My mother used to have coffee with her friends. They visited one another. It was nice.
Take time at the red light or behind some slow poke driver to look at the surroundings. Take time to eat at the restaurant and talk to the people you are with. Shop in the store with interest for what you are shopping for, not grab stuff while you chat on the phone to someone and think of that as quality conversation or shopping.
If your computer is slow, remember when you didn't have one. Just once in a while, write a note and mail it to someone instead of sending an email. Getting a letter in the mail box is still priceless.
With all the rush, and high speed life we live, we are not as happy as we were before we had it. That says something.
Now I will end with this. I love email and I love my computer, but they are not my life. They are a blessing, a means to communicate with so many people. Just take life a bit slower.