Recently, I have noticed this phenomenon of busy lives within our society. It might be due to my stage of life right now, but, either way, this world surrounds our culture. It is almost as if we are not living successfully if we have time to live. That is a paradox in itself. The idea of the word "busy" all relates into what you prioritize in your life. Our school chaplain once said that she gave up the word “busy” for Lent, a holiday in the Christian faith that you usually practice a discipline of give up something for 40 days leading up to Easter. She said that in this time she noticed how misleading that word really is. At what point can you stop doing because you are “busy.” At what point does the word busy take over your life?

I am a strong believer against the word busy. More often than not, I see this word taking over one’s life and leading them onto a road of stress and discontentment. I believe the word busy is simply an excuse. Each of us has 24 hours in each day. Each of us has 1,440 minutes in each day. Each of us has 86,400 seconds in each day. How you choose to use that time is all within your decision. You are never too busy from doing what you want to do. You fill each day with the activities and work that you want to do. As soon as that time is over, a new day begins and the time restarts.

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Mother Teresa once said, “Never be so busy as not to think of others.” This is a very valuable statement. I am a person that loves to be busy personally. When I noticed my busy life was distracting me from those I loved, I noticed the negative element it was causing. What we can do when we are busy are all the things we see of top importance, so when I could not love others while busy, I was not prioritizing loving others in my life. Now I live as others perceive still to be busy, but I never let my busy life have no wiggle room for others. If I am doing something of minor importance and a friend needs me, I have learned that the other can wait because I need to help the friend. I try to allow my life to focus on the needs of others rather than the needs of my schedule. My work will be there tomorrow, but my loved ones may not.

The more you tell yourself that you are busy, that is just what you will begin to become. If it matters to you, you can always make the time for it to happen. Give yourself time within each 24 hours- 1,440 minutes- 86,400 seconds to do what you love. Give yourself time to have fun. Give yourself time to make a difference. Give yourself time to be productive. Your time is YOURS so take control of it. If you find yourself too busy to enjoy your life make a change now. You are never too busy for life. If that is the case you are simply not living. The word busy can easily control us. The word busy is simply that- a word! It only has the power and meaning that you give it. No more. You choose to be busy or you choose to not. Maybe take the time to give the word up, like my school Chaplain did. You might notice how much it impacts your life. You might realize how much it controls your life.