It doesn’t have to be this way.

I am not asking how many items are on your to-do list, nor asking how many items are in your inbox. I want to know how your heart is doing, at this very moment. Tell me. Tell me your heart is joyous, tell me your heart is aching, tell me your heart is sad, tell me your heart craves a human touch. Examine your own heart, explore your soul, and then tell me something about your heart and your soul.

Tell me you remember you are still a human being, not just a human doing. Tell me you’re more than just a machine, checking off items from your to-do list. Have that conversation, that glance, that touch. Be a healing conversation, one filled with grace and presence.

Put your hand on my arm, look me in the eye, and connect with me for one second. Tell me something about your heart, and awaken my heart. Help me remember that I too am a full and complete human being, a human being who also craves a human touch.

Original article here.

The article was aptly titled as “The Disease of Being Busy”. When I read through it, I realised that even though I don’t rattle off my to-do list for the year, I have been one of “those” who tend to reply with “Oh gosh! It’s been crazy busy” whenever someone asked me the polite question of “How are you?”. At times, I roll my eyeballs as I blab out the standard answer of “busy”.

Perhaps, that was it. A polite question – people asking for the sake of asking, and with that comes the expected answer of either, “It’s alright!” or “Too busy!” . Just a polite answer in return,  enough to cut-short unnecessary conversations for us to move along. Because we are busy.

I have been guilty of doing that – asking how are you just for the sake of asking, and not really wanting to hear a full life-story just because I bum into this person on my way to the bathroom. Neither do I want to tell the person  who hardly even know me the story of my life nor how I exactly feel whenever someone shot me with a “Hey! How are you!” . No, I am too busy for all that little chit-chats.

Perhaps, chats of the hearts are not for acquaintances, strangers and random people in the office – I still believe that there are time and place for that. But this is more than just THAT. This is about being a human, not just a human doing. This is  about having conversations that heal, and one that is filled with grace and presence. Things that we, as human beings are not doing enough.

The author nails it: we are losing the ability to live a human life. Technology plays a huge part in that. That being said, I think it is time I make a  conscious effort to start replying with grace and presence, rather than just mouthing of “#$#%@%@@ busy!”.

I’m not saying I’m going to start rattling off my heart completely, because that would be too weird. It’s just that  the word “busy” needs to be replaced with…something that has elements of  genuine graciousness.

I’ll gladly offer you a hug next time you ask me how I’m doing. But only if I like you.

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The Obvious Truths

Kids are simplistic, adaptable creatures.

Take these 2 little imps: They got hauled into the car with us because we had to do groceries, they found some random cards with a picture of food and coffee on them before they got hauled back into their car seats, and they both created their own crazy games only they can understand, by taking turns to roll the cards and then tried to grab the cards from each other with some silly expressions on their faces based on the picture on the cards.

I didn’t quite understand the rules of their game, but there were loads of endless giggles and laughter coming from the back-seat that kept them occupied while we got stuck in traffic. They both were in a get-along-well-mood and moments like that, the  sound of hearty, genuine squeals warms my little heart.

It was one of those rare days when they decided that they would enjoy each other’s company, amuse each other and just get along. I just wish they do that more often.