It’s Just What We Do

August 31, 2011 at 8:39 am · Filed under Mostly true, Random Thoughts ·Tagged author, chaotic, Charles L. Mashburn, constant movement, fear, hope, hurry, joy, part of the herd, sadness, story, weird, where are we going, writer

I often find myself watching people as they hurry here and there, and it amazes me to contemplate how many people are scurrying about on this planet at any given time. And it no longer stops at night; our planet has become a 24/7 world that never stops. It might slow down, but there is almost always activity, no matter the time of day.

I remember when we were in our pre-teens, Barry and I would ride our bikes the mile or two into town in the middle of the night from the subdivision we lived in, and we’d not see another person the entire time. The road to town and the streets in town were empty and silent. I doubt seriously if it’s still that way in what was once the sleepy little town of Buckeye, Arizona.

But these days, when I watch all this bustling about, especially the cars zipping down the roads and freeways, I truly wonder where everyone is going in such a rush. It seems our lives have become a constant rushing to one place, only to hurry through whatever is there, so we can rush to the next place.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not writing this to suggest we all need to slow down—that’s been done to death—I’m simply wondering how life came to be this way. How did we evolve into this globe of constant movement? Where, exactly, are we going?

It often seems chaotic to me; no rhyme or reason, just massive uncoordinated movement, centered around making money. And, sadly, with making money our focal point, the joy of living is too often denied, or simply not considered. Our lives become so hectic, and at the same time mundane, and we are no longer living for any purpose; we have no goals; other than gaining wealth and property.

We take vacations, but even those times meant for relaxation and enjoyment are filled with headache and time-lines. Often, the mere planning of the trip is an exhausting endeavor. And, how many times have you said, or heard, “I need to get back to my job, so I can rest.”

I don’t know how we came to be this way, and I wish I could offer some deep and meaningful suggestions for a better way to live. Unfortunately, I am, for the most part, a member of the scurrying herd. I’ll go somewhere today, and blend in with the rest of the cars and people. I won’t do it because I really need to; it’s just what we do.

Weird, isn’t it?

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