The Art of the Pause

The last few weeks have been incredibly busy for me. First, I spent 5 days in Florida getting dunked in the ocean for a water survival course, then I was home for a day before hitting the road again in search of a new house in Washington. When I came back from that trip I could not relax because the movers were coming the very next day to pack up our things. In the midst of all the traveling, rush, stress, excitement there was Malone.

I noticed my month-old daughter had grown a lot in the past couple weeks. She was changing quickly. Her hair was longer, she didn’t quite fit into some of her newborn outfits, she seemed much taller and, in a sense, I was missing it…not because I had been away, though that had some to do with it, but because I was becoming consumed with the “busy-ness” of life. This struck me deeply as I held her. I turned off the television, closed my laptop and just looked at her. My daughter was teaching me the art of the pause.

The art of the pause is the ability to completely shut off the world around and concentrate solely on one thing, person or circumstance…not striving, but simply taking it all in. In a world where technology makes it so easy to multi-task, the ability to pause is becoming an even greater necessity. We must all learn the art of the pause if we are to have healthy and meaningful relationships, and lives that are lived for more than just the accumulation of tasks and achievements. The art of the pause is the secret to enjoying everything for which we work so hard, the meeting place of gratefulness and fulfillment.

How then, do we pause?

1) Stop - Shut off the noise, whether that’s the television, computer or cell phone. Just stop. You may be uncomfortable with the silence, but it just means you haven’t paused in a while. Its easy to get caught in the trap of feeling like you always have to be doing something; checking e-mail, watching the news, reading, cleaning, etc. I am guilty of this. The art of the pause is a buffer against this silent life-killer. If you haven’t paused in a while sometimes the best way to stop is to go hiking or camping, away from the crowds, the noise and cell-phone coverage. However you have to do it, just stop.

2) Focus - If you’re with someone focus on them. Listen to them, make eye contact and don’t formulate a response in your head as they’re talking. If you’re all alone, focus on your present circumstances and what you have to be thankful for. By focusing you allow yourself a chance to assess your present position in life, giving you increased situational awareness. For me, this was simply staring down at my wonderful daughter and looking at her eyes, her hair, her feet, just soaking in the awesomeness of such a creation.

3) Enjoy - The most bitter people in the world are the most ungrateful. Everyone has something to be thankful for whether it is good health, supportive family, a great job, or a loving God. By focusing on the good things in your life you gain perspective and the focus normally goes away from whatever is stressing you out to the things you enjoy the most. The ability to enjoy life is directly related to your ability to be thankful.

Life is a vapor. If we don’t pay attention we can fly by some of the most significant moments without blinking an eye. My newborn daughter taught me the art of the pause, a practice that will cost you very little in the long run, but gain you a life lived to the hilt.

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