Young people would do well to rock more. At the lazy creak-whoosh rhythm of a rocking chair, calming peace settles upon the soul. Technology may be a convenient time-saver, but I cannot help but wonder: Does it complicate our lives rather than simplify? Has it wounded the human race in lieu of aiding it?
There are those who view a good rock and a solemn "think" as a waste of time, but I tend to disagree. If posting and scrolling on facebook is not viewed as a time-waster, then surely moments of reflection, meditation, and dare I mention it . . . prayer are moments exceedingly well-spent.
If your home does not contain a comfortable rocking chair, I urge you to visit a local flea-market or country store and invest in this beautiful, practically timeless necessity. And when you sit and rock, consider those moments a time of counting blessings. Think of all that God has given you, beginning with number one, His grace. Close your eyes and concentrate on living in this moment, this place, this pain-wracked but beautiful world that is only temporary, this life that sails with a brevity we cannot even comprehend. Set down the technological device you cradle so carefully in your hands--the ipad, ipod, iphone, the kindle, the laptop. . . Arouse your mind to the reality around you--the cadence and flow of familiar voices, the ticking of the relentless clock, the soft summer breeze rattling through the screen door, the snap of green beans, the myriad colors that surround you. Whisper a thank you to God for all this, for the ability to enjoy it, for your salvation. Don't the colors seem brighter, the noises a little more noticeable, the beauty in this moment a little easier to recognize? That is God's gift, His adjusting our senses to deeply feel His blessing in the little things.
Determine to live this summer to the fullest in not-so-common ways. Talk person-to-person with your flesh-and-blood family and loved ones. Lay aside the jam-packed schedule and forget about it. Work hard, yes, and be always mid-project. Read good books. Lots of them. Walk outside. Listen to the stories and advice of people older than you are. Record your feelings and thoughts and memories. Rock and think. Pray. Count blessings.
