The Sin of Busyness
Posted by funky uncle mustard on 23 Apr 2007 at 09:33 pm | Tagged as: attention, busyness, DadMustard, dog, hurry, MommyMustard, MustardMusings, Parenting
I read somewhere that the 8th deadly sin was busyness. Or maybe it was hurry. Either way, hurry and busyness are two terrible challenges for me. (And the reason I haven’t posted in a while.)
Over the last months Mary Elizabeth and I started to notice some changes in our dog, Bailey (13). She was drinking a ton of water and acting a little strange. She just didn’t seem herself and seemed to have lost her spark.
Well, after I finally got her checked out by the vet (and paid for a couple sets of serious blood work) they ruled out all the typical culprits (kidney failure, diabetes, Cushing’s disease). Before the results of the tests, we thought that Bailey might be “getting ready to go.†We started paying a little more attention to her. Petting her a little more often. Caring for her a bit more. Showing her some attention. Giving her some time.
Funny. She doesn’t seem to be acting as strange anymore. Sure, her joints are bothering her and she can’t go for a three-mile run like she used to. . .but. . .
Could it be that our dog was simply suffering from a lack of attention?
Mary Elizabeth and I think so.
It’s a powerful thing – attention. It takes time and effort.
Man, and if our dog suffers for a lack of it, imagine our kids.
Just something to think about.
Thanks Uncle Mustard,
That definitely hits home. I also have heard that our most valuable, non-renewable resource is our time.
How do I spend it day to day?
I don’t want to wake up someday and feel like I’ve missed it.
Thanks for the food for my thoughts.
Hey Mr Mustard, you are so right, and I am so glad Bailey is still going strong. Attadog! I agree with the busyness (or might that be busIness? am I allowed to say that?)sin: I just hate it when advertising tells us that such-and-such ‘saves time’ to make us feel virtuous buying it, but does not address what we fill that saved time with, or if it does, it is to suggest fill our days with even more busyness! i am currently teaching myself to go more slowly; pick up a book, rather than go plaster the cellar!