Christen Rouson

To my disgrace, I logged into my blog site to discover I have not written a post since September 12th…It has been over a month since I have written! (YiKES!) This was so disturbing to me because According to Chris is my baby, something that I birth that was intended to touch as many people as possible…and I have neglected it. Just for a moment imagine something that you invested so much into, worked so hard to bring into fruition….now imagine not having a chance to enjoy it or nurture it…. That’s how I’m feeling right now. But please don’t get me wrong, I did not forget about According to Chris, actually I have brainstormed new posts daily. I did not lose interest in According to Chris, actually, it has been one of the first and last things on my mind daily. Do you want to know really what happened? I GOT TOO BUSY…

All of my life I have repeatedly heard the phrase, “Life is short.” The older that I have gotten the more that I understand what that means. When I was a child, it seemed that only old people who had lived a full life and raised a few kids were passing away, but in these times, even the young are leaving here suddenly. I guess that lesson is supposed to teach you to cherish every minute of life the you have because you never know when it will end. But what happens when those moments to be cherished are at the end of the “To Do” list? Currently, I work 40 hours a week in a medical office as the only nurse, I am a full-time student, I am the director of the worship department, the Minister of Music for my church’s choir, and the worship leader for my church, I am a background vocalist for a few different up and coming artists, I am an aspiring recording artist, I am a girlfriend, an aunt, a sister, a daughter and granddaughter,  a best friend, a hairstylist, and then finally a blogger. Though I find a level of enjoyment in all that I do, there is a level of WORK in all of those areas. Every “hat” that I wear daily comes with a level of responsibility and a list of duties and requirements. With the many things that I am involved in (and I am sure that I have forgotten something), life had become all work and no play. My life consisted of mostly inlets of responsibility and no outlets of release. Then I was given a new assignment, According to Chris. Yes, this blog site came with it’s level of diligence, but things were on my terms. The sense of control alone turned this assignment into a pleasure. But just as it had been before, my life is BUSY!

Is there anyone else that is blown away that it is almost the end of October already? It’s not just that time is going by so quickly. Actually, at least for me, our days blur one into the other. Our daily routines leave little room to stop and smell the roses, and our extra commitments steal the few moments that we have to just enjoy life. We are in a constant rush to do the next thing and get to the next place. We are striving to complete the task at hand and begin the next one. We are moving, going, doing, running, rushing, and not LIVING! I used to joke and say that one day after all of this rushing I would look up and ask what it was all for. Think about the precious things that we miss as we hustle and bustle through life. We miss much needed moments of rest, gut busting moments of laughter, quality time with our loved ones, a constant level of peace of mind, and the enjoyment of the moment all because we are busy….

THE MORAL OF THE STORY:

SLOW DOWN!

I know that there are things to do, places to go, and people to see. I know that there are bills to be paid and money to be made. I know, I know, I know. Such is the truth in my life too. However, when we only focus on filling our schedules and fulfilling our tasks, we don’t get to enjoy the simple moments that are created in nothingness. I can barely remember the last time that I sat and read a book, laid on the couch and listened to hours of music, or just went for a quiet walk around the park. It has been over 2 years since I have gotten out of my state and about the same since I’ve taken a vacation of any kind. I have gotten so lost in “the go” that recently I’ve only use my home as hotel only for sleeping. Then after being exhausted to the point of sickness a brilliant idea came to me… SLOW DOWN, CHRIS! Trust me, the things that need to be done will still need to be done after you take that nap. The people that need you will still need you after you take a day that is reserved just for you. I am challenging you, as I am challenging myself, to say “no” to one obligation and “yes” to one thing of enjoyment this week. Do something for you this week that you really want to do simply because you want to do it. Since life is short, don’t compact it with things that make the days even shorter. Every now and then, make a long moment of this short life!