Why Are We Always in Such a Hurry?

82 Years — 82 Lessons

At 82 years old, I have finally figured out something I wish I had understood when I was 30:

Most of the things I was in such a hurry to get to weren't nearly as important as the things I hurried past.

We spend a good part of our lives rushing.

We rush to get out of school.

We rush to get a job.

We rush to make more money.

We rush to buy a house, raise a family, build a career, get ahead, and accomplish something.

Then one day we look in the mirror and wonder:

Where in the world did all those years go?

I have lived a pretty full life.

I served in the Marine Corps. I worked as a news photographer. I spent decades in the oilfield. I started businesses, built houses, raised a family, sailed boats, traveled, preached the Gospel, wrote books, and chased more than a few dreams.

And through much of it, I was going somewhere.

There was always another job to finish, another problem to solve, another dollar to make, another place I needed to be.

There is nothing wrong with ambition. There is nothing wrong with working hard. In fact, I still believe hard work is one of the greatest teachers a person can have.

But there is a difference between living with purpose and living in a hurry.

The Things We Hurry Past

When you're young, you think there will always be another Christmas.

Another family dinner.

Another fishing trip.

Another conversation with your father.

Another afternoon with your mother.

Another evening sitting beside your wife.

Another chance to tell somebody you love them.

But eventually you learn something nobody really wants to think about:

There isn't always another one.

Some of the people who once sat around our table are no longer here.

Some of the places that were once part of everyday life exist only in memory.

And some of those ordinary days I barely noticed at the time are now among the memories I treasure most.

That's one of the strange things about getting older.

You discover that some of life's greatest moments didn't look very important while they were happening.

We Keep Waiting for Life to Begin

People have a habit of saying:

"When I get through this busy spell, I'll slow down."

Then another busy spell comes along.

"When the kids are grown..."

"When I get the promotion..."

"When I pay this off..."

"When I retire..."

"When things settle down..."

Well, I have news for you.

Things don't settle down.

Life just changes what it's bothering you about.

If you keep waiting for the perfect time to enjoy your life, you may discover that life happened while you were waiting.

Slow Down Enough to Notice

Take the trip if you can.

Sit on the porch a little longer.

Drink your coffee without looking at the clock.

Listen when your grandchildren tell you a story—even if it takes them fifteen minutes to tell what should have taken two.

Call the old friend you've been meaning to call.

Hold your wife's hand.

Watch a sunrise.

Watch a sunset.

And every once in a while, turn off that blasted phone.

The world will probably survive without you for thirty minutes.

God Never Promised Us Tomorrow

The Bible says:

"This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

— Psalm 118:24

Notice that it says this is the day.

Not someday.

Not when everything is perfect.

Not when we finally have enough money.

Not when all our problems disappear.

Today.

At 82, I don't think nearly as much about how fast I can get somewhere.

I think more about what I might miss along the way.

There are still things I want to accomplish. I still have dreams. I still wake up thinking about what I can build, write, learn, or do next.

But I'm learning that reaching the destination isn't the whole point.

Sometimes the best part of the trip is the person sitting beside you.