red light, green light, 1, 2, 3.

Remember that game we used to play as children? The one where one person went to one side of the room, or the field (or whatever the space was), and everyone else lined up on the other side? And the point was to run towards the person on the other side while he or she yelled out "red light, green light, 1, 2..." and you had to freeze after "3"? And whoever got to the other side first would be the winner? Remember?

Well, I do. And that's how I've been feeling lately - like I'm playing that childhood game, fluctuating between the frenzied combination of running and stopping, trying desperately to hear the cries of "red light, green light..." so that I can once again run because I am tired of waiting.

Let me explain.  Our American culture has trained us to always go, go, go. To always be on the move, to rush things that shouldn't be rushed, to strive for instant gratification. When was the last time we stopped to observe life around us? When was the last time we sat in silence, and tried to hear the soft whisperings of our heart? When was the last time we embraced the beauty of nothingness and just savored the moment? If we are honest with ourselves, it's probably been a long time. And why? Because most of us have this innate craving to fill quietness with noise, to overcome stillness with action, to replace patience with productivity.

Lately, I have felt the monotony of life creep in ever so slowly. I am in a bit of a lull in my work, and I have to admit that it is making me extremely restless in all areas of my life. When I explained my woes to a good friend of mine, she reminded me to enjoy the present for what it is, and to find relaxation within it. So, starting today, I am trying to take her words to heart and internalize the idea of just "being," whatever that may mean.

Our childhood games teach us to wait in anticipation for the next big move in our lives. Rarely are we encouraged by our culture to stop and smell the roses (minus a few greeting cards here and there). We need to learn to appreciate the time in between the "red light, green lights," even if it requires every ounce of our bodies to fight against the temptation to fill quietness with noise, or to overcome stillness with action. It's not always easy to relish the moments of stillness in our lives, but in doing so, we can regain the energy and focus needed to run when the time is right again.