We live in a fast paced world where it is so easy to forget the ties that bind us. We are ruled by the clock and we all pace around at a frenetic pace; when are we going to slow down? We come home from work, and we are consumed with getting ready for the next day. Supper needs to be made, clothes need to be ironed, lunches need to be prepared. If you set time aside to do any other activity other than these, your “to do before tomorrow list” constantly hangs over your head like the sword of Damocles. It is not like we can afford to buy lunch every day anyway. In addition, we are busy running children off to various activities. Our children are overbooked with too many activities that have parents running from one end of the city to the other. We have lots of frazzled parents and overstretched children all crying out for relief from the madness. When are these children going to be just children and have good old plain fun? If they cannot enjoy their childhood with zest when will they get to do this? Good grief is the world going to fall apart if we just allow kids to sit and do nothing? It is okay for children to be bored you know. Now that is a novel concept, who knew .

We have become almost mechanical, to the point of even being robotic, in our efforts. We miss those moments of connecting with one another due to the frantic pace we keep. We cannot enjoy ourselves, savour each minute and work at developing meaningful connections with one another. Children are brushed off; “oh I am busy right now, can we talk later?” Spouses are neglecting each other because they are both too busy chasing dollar signs and not nurturing their relationships. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. We live in the day of postponement. How many meaningful connections have we postponed to the future? How about enjoying them in the here and now? Besides, what is all the rush about? If you had only a few days to live, how would you live out those days? Whatever your answer is, start putting it into practice. The question we must ask is, “are we doing the important things?” Is whatever you are busy doing God’s will for your life? Or are you just engaged in your own pursuits with no thought about your Creator and Maker who will one day call you home.

We must make a commitment to work on our relationships. Keeping in mind also that no one is promised tomorrow. We have today because yesterday has already passed. We can start by slowing down our pace. Take time each day to connect with one another; our spouse, our children, friends etc. Give these relationships our full attention; look into their eyes when they are sharing their daily activities with you. Laugh, have fun with one another. At the end of the day, it is only our relationships that are going to count. After all no one ever said on their death bed, “I wish I had spent more time at work”.

The pursuit of mammon is destroying many ties in our time. There are things we cannot place a monetary price on. At the end of the day, those are the most valuable and priceless gifts we have. Make an effort to cherish the priceless things.