I really had to restrain myself from entitling this post something like ‘Pausability Thinking’, or ‘The Importance of Good Pauseture’, or ‘Pause and Effect’ or … but I knew that some of you wouldn’t appreciate the humor in it (accept Denis maybe). This past week I found myself thinking about that little word – ‘pause’. Apparently it comes from the Greek word ‘pausis’ which meant to ‘stop’ or ‘cease’. The website yourdictionary.com has “a short period of inaction; temporary stop, break, or rest”. I like that definition because the distinction between a pause and a stop is that the word pause denotes the temporary nature of the act assuming a latter continuance of the former. And that is so true to life. We don’t stop. Life never stops this side of the grave (nor after for those who have eternal life!). We don’t stop working, we rest. And we don’t really stop to pray because prayer is always in the context of life activity which goes on because life goes on.
Life has movement but that movement is not as much constant as it is rhythmic. Life pulsates. Even before God made the sun, the evening and the morning were the first day. (Gen 1:3) And the seasons of the year create a sense of rhythm. I love how God told Noah after the great flood that while the earth remains seed time and harvest will not cease. (By the way, that means that Spring is coming; God said so.)
Musicians must realize the importance of a pause in music. They call them ‘rests’. Comedians know when you miss them it’s really not that funny. Other public speakers talk not only about the ‘pause’ but the ‘pregnant pause’. Barack Obama is said to be a master of it. Even so, the art of life involves recognizing when a pause is called for. We need to learn to pause in order to live well.
God felt it important enough that He made a pause (‘rest’) one of the ten commandments! Think about that. So, how are you doing with that? Are you learning the importance of pausing?
The importance of pausing - awesome reminder Steve.
ReplyDeleteCheck out this quote by Albert Einstein “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.”
Joke for the flip side - I've been stuck on pause (Ha Ha) It's time to take some of my reflections to work!
Rachael Grace
Thanks Rachael. I had seen that quote by Einstein before but it was good to read it again especially in this context. I feel strongly that life needs to involve both contemplation and concentration and each is meant to feed the other. Too much of anything will cause us a problem though. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteI always wondered how someone can say something and then it becomes a famous quote. Maybe one day this will be. "I feel we can be more productive throughout our life when we take time to pause."
ReplyDeleteI think with Albert it was the hair Geoff. You've got to do something with your hair.
ReplyDeleteLOL Very Funny. I can totally see Geoff with a funky hair do like Albert. It could really work for you Geoff. Then we would all be like... man... he is so serious.
ReplyDeleteJust kidding. Your hair rocks Geoff!