Last Friday I watched Peyton Place while folding laundry. It was the first time I had actually watched a majority of it in one sitting (I’ve always caught parts of it so it’s seemed rather disjointed for me). The movie could easily fit into a modern-day setting. Overbearing parents laying down the rules. Curious teens rebelling against the rules. A sympathetic teacher. The nosey next-door neighbor. Small town secrets coming out in very public ways. The stuff ABC dramas, NBC sitcoms, and cable reality shows are made of these days.

Back to the quote. In the movie, the lead female character, Lana Turner, notes how she passes the day and the lead male character, Lee Philips, says the above, pointing out she was just going through the motions of life, but not living. That’s what hit me.

We often go through the motions and end up in a rut, instead allowing ourselves to be a part of something, may it be big or small. We may think we’re being efficient by checking email or working on a project while waiting for the next task on our daily schedule: Get up. Eat breakfast. Get ready for the day. Go to work. Come home. Eat dinner. Get the kids to bed. Go to bed. But in doing that, we’re missing out on so much. We’re missing out on giggles. We’re missing out on conversations. We’re missing out on life. “Living” doesn’t mean taking fancy vacations overseas, going to a show every weekend, or having a calendar filled to the brim. It means being present with those around you, practicing gratitude, and sharing joy.

I say it’s time to get out of the rut. I say it’s time to stop waiting for time to pass. I say let’s use time and see what happens.

What say you?

Come hang out with this lil’ bird!
like sparrow | tweet with sparrow | sparrow’s pins | sparrow’s snaps