Pausing for yourself is hard when roles demand constant attention and responsibilities pile up. It is often building one or two dimension of life – career, family, ambition, while ignoring others. The cost – feeling drained and spent. A pause is paying attention to oneself.
Fareed’s appointment with sunset
Fareed never paused. His calendar overflowed with meetings, deadlines, and commitments. “Achieve more in less time” was his mantra. He wore many hats – founder, convenor, spouse, father, son.
His biggest challenge was not time. It was being with himself. Meditation seemed useful but impractical. Busyness was his shield. His calendar became an excuse.
Life eventually forced him to pause. His father’s final days required his presence. As a dutiful son, Fareed visited his father regularly. Once in a brief conversation, his father quietly shared, “I wish I had seen more sunsets. When I could back then, it felt meaningless to me.”
Fareed’s father passed away. However, those words lingered on.
A few days later, Fareed scheduled something unusual: An appointment with sunset.
- At first, grief surfaced. It was raw and painful. But he stayed with it.
- He began a quiet conversation with himself. It was like meeting a stranger.
- Silent tears came out. There was no shame, but release from exhaustion.
Fareed had paused. He didn’t gain insights. There was no reward in his outside world. It was about reconnecting with himself. And that made it meaningful.
Pausing is not about escaping life. It is about returning to it with clarity.
For your reflection
- What would enable you to give yourself a pause today?
“In an age of distraction, nothing can feel more luxurious than paying attention. And in an age of constant movement, nothing is more urgent than sitting still.” – Pico Iyer