Learning to Enjoy Playtime
Written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. ”
We all have regrets in life. One of mine was not being present enough with my family. Far too often, I would spend time with family, but I was not really with them. I was physically with them, but my mind was elsewhere. Sometimes I was polishing or practicing my sermon in my head. Other times I was reworking programs, while still other times, I remembered encounters and replaying them in my mind. My family deserved better from me. I deserved better from myself. I am not the only one who falls into this bad habit.
In part, I didn’t appreciate the gift of time. I fell into the trap of believing time either didn’t matter or that irrationally, it would last forever. Only as I’ve gotten older did I realize how fast time goes by. Time becomes more valuable as I experience the losses that come with changes in time. Daughters grow up and move away, friends and family die, even my body begins breaking down. Rather than curse the passing of time, we are called to appreciate the time we are given and nurture time as a divine gift.
In his article “How to be Present for Your Own Life,” Nick Wignall calls us to live mindfully. Mindfulness doesn’t have to mean sitting with your legs crossed and chanting. It can also mean being present and appreciative in each moment. Wignall calls us to regularly ask the question, “What will I do with what I have in this moment?” It is still uncomfortable for me, but when my grandsons are visiting, I try to put sermons, committees, and everything else out of my mind and simply focus on them and playing with reckless abandon. At that moment, time slows down, and joy increases.
Wignall challenges, “The ego loves to teach and preach and mold and build. In short, it loves to control. But kids, like all human beings, respond poorly to control. The longer I’m a parent, the longer I strive to be a gardener not a carpenter.” Today, pray for God to slow down time enough to be a gardener who nurtures the slow-developing life. Nurture the growth of the God-given relationships in your life. Then your life will be full, and time will be a blessing rather than a frustration.
