Every week I see someone who I need catching up with.
Every time they ask how things are going for me.
And each time I say, “Busy.”
And they nod, give me a meager smile and the conversation stops. I’ve given them the answer they expected, offering no specific information that we can discuss and probably reminded them of all they have to get done that week.
I don’t know when it happened, but our society (or at least the college environment) glorifies “busy-ness.” If you are busy, it means your time is in demand, which means you must be needed or wanted, which makes you successful. It’s expected to overload your schedules and stretch yourself thin, otherwise you must be doing something wrong. And while I agree with that to some extent (being busy means you’re taking advantage of opportunity), I just want to stop talking about it like its some overwhelming burden thrust upon me. I chose this. I happily filled my plate heaping full with chances and offers and experiences. It is not “busy."It is embracing life.
And I’m sure when graduate school is done and I am finished with arguably the most busy time of my life, I’ll still feel busy. Because our to-do lists are never completed and our responsibilities never gone.
So I’m done glorifying it. I’m done rolling my eyes with a long sigh and saying “I’m so busy.” I’m done receiving looks of benevolence.
So from now on I’m not busy, I’m blessed.
4 comments:
Love this post Lindsey! Thank you for the reminder - it was much needed this week! I was feeling a bit busy, but am now clinging to your words of wisdom and feeling extraordinarily blessed for all of the opportunities I've embraced and wonderful friends who help me realize what matters.
Linds I think you'll enjoy this read :) http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/30/the-busy-trap/
This is such a good reminder... At one point I blogged nearly the same thing in my first few years of college... thought I caught sight of the important things in life but the busy sneaks back up on your slowly and I've been feeling this same was as of late. Our school is in transition in its first year in a new building- as staff we are waaaay more spread out and encounters happen far less frequently. All the more reason to be genuine in conversation and truly seeking how we are doing when our paths do cross. Thanks for your open and honest sharing and good personal reminder to carefully select the words we choose. -Amy
Love your thoughts on this Lindsey. Next time someone asks how I'm doing I will choose to not say busy, but rather, "embracing life". Love it! And trust me, the "opportunities" after grad school will only continue to multiply so if you think your plate if full now, you'll really have to make some even tougher choices down the road as to what you will put on your plate.
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