Find the time to smell the roses...

Nayomini Ratnayake Weerasooriya thinks we can...

Before technology improved by leaps and bounds and we actually had the time to sit down at a park, a restaurant or a movie theatre, we used to know what the phrase ‘finding the time’ truly meant. One found the time to entertain, to have good conversation, to check on friends, to drop in on a friend unannounced and simply to sit down and smell the roses. You didn’t need to be ‘ear-phoned’ to an iPod, a phone or an iPad.

Now these devices are great and I myself find my iPhone irreplaceable but the trick is not to get caught in on them. We are so hooked on our electronic devices today that we feel lost without them. And to re-programme ourselves to include doing simple tasks that made life feel good and worthwhile, seems a tad difficult now that we have the world at our feet, thanks to the technologically superior devices we are wired into.

Sweet olden days

In the sweet olden days, dropping in on a friend unannounced was a treat. It was a treat for the visitor and the receiver. The lifestyle of the day was not hurried at all and inviting the visitor to tea or a simple meal was only natural. No one’s diary was so crammed up that it was impossible to visit anyone, including close relatives, without first making an appointment. There was always time to take a quiet walk in the park or simply take a long walk along the street, smell the evening come alive in the city, breath in the not-so-toxic air of the time and simply live life to the full, not lost in some stressed out excuse for a living.

It’s wonderful that technology has enabled us to do things we could not do a mere 30 years ago. But in the process, we seem to have lost the will to find time for anything. And no wonder - at our finger tips lie a powerful virtual world that stores information on anything and everything you would ever want to know. You can read a book on line, you can talk to your friends, write, blog your opinions, post your pictures on Facebook, Twitter your thoughts and do your research on any topic imaginable.

Simple tasks

But what is important is to walk away from your computer once in a while, to meet real people, watch the sky change its hues from blue to grey, watch the birds fly by and smile with a child happily playing. Life is made up of the little iota of things we never regard as important but always take for granted in our quest to live. And we forget that often and need to be reminded now and then that life is more than work, more than deadlines to keep and tasks to get done. It is ok once in a while, to get un-done and enjoy the day.

Whatever their occupation is, today’s folk are drilled into living in their own little spaces, doing things that they have to do. There’s no time left over to do pleasurable yet simple tasks. In the end, those simple tasks also carry a profound message. Live your life. Go out there and smile with someone.

Find the time to watch the sky at night. Find the time to talk to your children about things other than homework and tuition. Discover the magic of saying nothing yet watching a movie together.

Art of communication

Couples don’t find time for each other anymore. Birthdays and anniversaries are often forgotten unless your computer or your smart phone reminds you that an anniversary or a birthday is actually coming up.

Most couples are so busy that they must text each other or mail - they do not have the time to verbally communicate unless it is about the kids, groceries or a death in the family. No wonder couples drift apart. No wonder children are left confused and perplexed and lost forever to the art of communication. Children don’t find the time anymore to share stories from school with their parents. There is no longer any time for that. If there is communication between parents and children, it is often on impersonal matters such as tuition or studies. The child grows up, unable to find the time to do anything light hearted, unable to the view the world through the eyes of a child carefree and innocent.

In some global companies, executives are actually encouraged to find the time to do things they may otherwise miss, caught in their complex career filled world. Some companies actually encourage executives to spend time with people affected by natural disasters.

Think differently

There were some senior executives who came over to Sri Lanka following the tsunami disaster to build homes for the victims. It is not uncommon for some of them to take breaks to engage in such soul satisfying activities, working with under-privileged people in some of the world’s remotest parts. It is widely believed that such exposure and time spent doing things that help people, changes your perspective and improves your capacity to think differently.

There’s a lot more to the world than what we see every day. We are used to one world view, conditioned by habit and familiarity that we forget to see the world in all its glorious colour and potential. Yes, you can find the time to smell the roses. Yes, you can find the time to watch a kite fly into the sky, freely in flight. The secret lies in making an effort to do that, rather than merely going through the motions as we have been conditioned into doing. So let’s start today - let’s find the time once in a while to do...simply nothing and watch the sky. It is good medicine for your soul.