Who Has Time?

There's not one person I know who doesn't race through their days. I'm no different. I often feel I am chasing my schedule, perpetually late, squeezing activities in and running from the moment I get up to the moment I crash. In effort to pause, contemplate and breath, I often read a daily devotional or two. This morning's Lenten Devotional from the UCC urges its readers to reflect. The author writes, "How much of what disturbs us is really something we can't accept about ourselves? Think of what makes us angry, impatient, or afraid, or times we don't feel loved and appreciated." (Green, 2008) I ask, how much time to we give ourselves to pause really assess what upsets us and why?

Who has time? Our culture is excessively demanding (if you allow yourself to fall prey to it.) We are constantly bombarded. For example, there are very few public or private places you can where there is no TV. I once stood in line a my local bank with my youngest child (age 6.) There blaring at an unreasonable volume was the news, the worst of its kind. The content was completely inappropriate for my child's ears and eyes.

When it was my turn, I asked the teller to turn off the TV. She replied that no one else had ever complained. Given that reception, I was not at all surprised no one else had ever said anything. But then, was she saying no one else had been bothered by the blaring TV? That perhaps I was out of line or odd? What did that interaction say about me?

My schedule is unreasonable and it is entirely my own doing. I enjoy being involved with community activities and commitments. And, I think it important to give my children any opportunity we can afford to partake in team building, community and enriching activities. So, between the four of us, every day is booked. And when there is an opening, it is filled with all the other important activities to do such as cooking, cleaning, hair cuts, grocery shopping, school projects and so forth. When I'm tiered and needing a break, I try to remember how rich we are, how fortunate, how blessed. I try.

Was I disturbed by that TV because of the content? Or was it the noise it created? Or did it tap into something about myself I cannot accept?

William Green writes, "During Lent we're called to repentance in preparation for the new life we celebrate at Easter. Repentance is not just remorse but acceptance and turning toward the more complete life God makes possible. This begins with having compassion for all those unwanted parts of ourselves, all those imperfections that we don't even want to look at. A clenched fist cannot give or receive a gift, and a clenched psyche cannot grow." (i.ucc@ucc.org)

My husband and I agree that the frequency at which we're exposed to the demand of TV viewing is both excessive and exceedingly unhealthy for the psyche. Don't get me wrong. We have one, but only one.

Nearly thirty years ago I read an article, I dare say, in the New York Times about how lonely people in this culture were despite all the ways we have to communicate. At that time the repertoire was limited to TV, telephone and perhaps a few other dinosaurs that at that time were up and coming like the fax machine. The cordless phone was just coming into popularity, if I remember correctly, but only for a select few who could pay top dollar for the not so reliable technology. I believe people are more isolated and lonely in this culture than ever before. Last I heard, depression is on the rise especially in children. Why is that?

Compassion. Compassion for the lonely, the disconnected. Compassion for those who aren't able to see beyond the blaring TV and can't recognize its inappropriateness for the ears and eyes of a young child, for innocence. Compassion for the disconnected, lonely souls who haven't be ability to see beyond the awfulness on the News, its impact and how it separates people from each other. Compassion. Who is innocent?

Who has time?