Stop the World, Life Needs More

No. No more. It's time for re-evaluating, re-thinking, re-adjusting our compass. It's time to stop the merry-go-round.because I want to get off ~ and so do other women (and maybe even men). I know because I'm beginning to hear them talk about, see them write about it. Maybe it's the unsettled undercurrent of the economic crisis. Maybe it's the reawakened discernment we are gaining between our wants and needs that many of us have been forced to think about. Maybe.it's the realization that there is solid, enduring Truth to live by and there are situational ethics, the latter which have served our selfish desires but have ill-served our well-being and undermined the basic fabric of our society. Maybe. All I know is that women are speaking out about....

~insecurities that we have fostered upon ourselves by believing the Madison Avenue hype (substitute the word "crap") that unless we have the right man, job, house, car, haircut, nail color, clothes, shoes and handbags (and that's the short list) we are nothing,

~ divorces that have undermined the fabric of our society and are hurting our children all because if it doesn't feel good or rock our world or, heaven forbid, we are bored, then it's time to bail for a newer partner,

~ the idea that life is supposed to be easy with no troubles, very little hardship and all about me,

~ the feeling disconnected in a highly connected technological world,

~ the economic and social train wreck that resulted from companies placing the value of profits ahead of the value of people,

~ ____________ (you fill in the blank).

It's time to take our lives back. Our sanity back. It's time to stop believing, and worst yet, living the lies. Just yesterday I got an email from the good people at Gallup ~ you know, the Gallup Poll that purports to take the pulse of our nation. They were introducing the Wellbeing Finder, "a revolutionary program for measuring, managing and improving your wellbeing." The email encourages me to "take the assessment today to see how (my) career, social, financial, physical and community wellbeing compare with others."

Say what? Am I now going to take a test to see if the state of my wellbeing measures up to your wellbeing? And just exactly what is this supposed to accomplish? Will it make me feel better or worse about myself because I do or don't measure up to others? And just what exactly am I supposed to do? Go out and spend more? See a professional for my dismal state of being? Brag if I'm doing better than others? I mean seriously, someone enlighten me on this.

Stop. The world is hurting. We are hurting. We've done it to ourselves.

Stop. Life needs more. Life means more.

Stop. Give yourself permission to downsize, to rightsize .

Stop. Breathe. Love. Care. Encourage.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable ~ if anything is excellent or praiseworthy ~ think about such things. ( Phil 4:8 )