Comments on: What’s your time perspective?

By: Janet Bailey

Janet Bailey — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:01:40 +0000

@Joan – Thank you so much for sharing these memories of Robert, and for passing along what you are still learning from him about stillness and listening. And for your lived-in reminder about what matters the very most. Wishing you comfort and remembrance and healing as you continue through this grieving journey.

By: Joan Price

Joan Price — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 17:59:22 +0000

I love this post, Janet. Personally, I’ve felt busy and “behind” for decades, maybe all of my adult life (and I’m 65 now). I rush, rush, rush, make impossibly huge to-do lists, and fail to complete them.

Then something happens — in my case the illness and then death of my husband — and we realize none of that busy-ness matters as much as the personal connections in our lives.

When I realized two years ago that we were on borrowed time because of Robert’s cancer, I stopped taking on any writing assignments with a deadline. I worked, even hard, but I knew my priorities and made sure nothing interfered with spending time with Robert and making our lives work through such an emotional time. Then after he died, I gave myself permission to take a year to grieve, heal, remember, journal, and discover where I can find joy through this grieving journey.

I don’t know how people get through this if they keep rushing.

Ironically, I’m learning the lesson now that Robert — a peaceful, quiet, meditative artist (http://www.robertriceart.com/) — tried to teach me: move in stillness, quiet the chatter, listen to the silence.

Wow, I didn’t realize your blog would promt me to write all this. Your blog has come into my life at the right time, and I thank you.

Joan Price

By: Janet Bailey

Janet Bailey — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 06:02:59 +0000

@Denise – I liked the online test too. Traveling in France? Slow cooking? Surely not wasting time!

@Theresa – I hadn’t seen that article about Joshua Bell in the subway. Powerful. Loved the guy in the croissant shop, listening from the doorway. Thanks for the link.

By: Theresa Ho

Theresa Ho — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:32:08 +0000

Thanks! This makes me think of an old Washington Post article, where they asked violin virtuoso Joshua Bell to busk in a busy subway during rush hour. I often wondered whether I would have stopped to appreciate…

(not sure if html works here – here’s the full link to the article in case people are interested.)

http://www.google.com/url?sa=U&start=1&q=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html&ei=fWXaSfyaB8KblQeku_HKDA&usg=AFQjCNHYhdg9d0VnwyhcqC95Ww9rn4K2qg

By: Denise

Denise — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:08:53 +0000

So interesting! Especially as I begin to tackle my suspicion that my ‘break’ from full-time work has turned into ‘wasting time’. Thanks for sharing. (And taking the online test was fun.)

By: Janet Bailey

Janet Bailey — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:41:17 +0000

@Kamna, @Leah – happy this struck a chord!

By: Leah

Leah — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 05:53:47 +0000

Great post, Janet! Lots of food for thought!

By: Kamna Narain

Kamna Narain — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:13:50 +0000

Ah, what an important reminder. Taking the time to be present and to be helpful. Zimbardo and Boyd are on to something, and so are you Jenet. Thanks for your honesty with the story – it’s inspiring!