Learning How to Be

I have been thinking lately about the difference between "being" and "doing" and what that actually looks like. How does a person go about "being"? I'm pretty sure it looks less busy than I have been this winter.

The New York Times article entitled, Love People, Not Pleasure, says if you want to be unhappy, seek external or "extrinsic" goals like achieving reputation or being famous. If you want to be happy, seek internal or "intrinsic" goals like deep, long-term relationships.

Apparently, "People who rate materialistic goals like wealth as top personal priorities are significantly likelier to be more anxious, more depressed and more frequent drug users, and even to have more physical ailments than those who set their sights on more intrinsic values."

This made me think of Beth Moore's book, Children of the Day. She says, “The idea of shifting the approach of our prayer requests from achieving to receiving is not an original concept, but it’s a fresh perspective for me. . . seeking God to achieve nobler things like love for someone hateful, clarity for mind-tangling scenarios. . . I’m just learning that approaching Him with an emphasis on achieving is a pale second to an outlook of receiving.”

I want to learn how to "be" during the hard, confusing times as well as the good times and not just how to "do", how to act or react.

There is a lot of fun to be had and I am all in for that! Bring on the family vacations, the outrageous laughter of silly, inside family jokes, cold days spent skiing in the Idaho mountains, blistering hot days spent floating down the Boise River on a paddle board. Still, it is in knowing who I am and sharing my life with others that brings lasting joy. And I am really, really all for that.