That title is a line from the magician in the Frosty the Snowman cartoon. It catches your attention and makes you ponder the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
Unfortunately, busy busy busy is no longer reserved for the holidays. We are all so busy these days, every day it seems. Work, home, meetings,and appointments fill our days and evenings. We are so busy we even depend on organized leisure by playing on teams, or scheduling exercise time.
"The Busy Trap" is an article from the NY Times by Tim Krieider, where he describes himself as “the laziest ambitious person” he knows and encourages everyone to step back from the world’s frenetic pace. “Life is too short to be busy.”
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/30/the-busy-trap/
I read this article just a few days before the death of Andy Griffith. He will best be remember as the level headed, handsome sheriff of Mayberry, the ideal place to step back and relax. Andy and the residents of Mayberry presented us with real messages about life and living. When the preacher told his congregation one Sunday morning that they needed to take time to reflect and enjoy their day of rest it backfires a bit. The citizens of Mayberry are so intent on recreating those leisurely days of listening to the band in the park on Sunday afternoon that they busy themselves to the point of misery. They knew they wanted to capture that feeling of nothing to do and nothing to worry about, if only for an afternoon. Because it was important.
Another Sunday in Mayberry found a busy business man passing through when his car broke down. With nothing open on Sunday he was forced to eat at Aunt Bea’s table and listen to Andy and Barney sing The Church in the Wildwood. He was taken back to a quieter time from his childhood and didn’t want to leave even after Goober helped get his car fixed.
Robert Fulghum wrote “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” where he reminds us of all those important things we learn early in life.
My version goes like this:
“All I’ll Ever Need to know About Life I Learned from Andy Griffith.”
★ Be kind to your neighbor.
★ Go out of your way to make your friends feel good about themselves.
★ A cold pop on a hot day can make just about anything better.
★ Share what you have with those in need.
★ Help each other all the time, not just when it is convenient.
★ Protect nature.
★ Resolve things with wisdom instead of force.
★ Hold hands while you walk to church.
★ Make sure no one leaves your house hungry.
★ Never pass up the chance to go fishing.
★ Sing on the porch whenever you can.
★ Slow down, see, listen and enjoy life.
See you at the fishin’ hole.
