Let's Be Honest

It's Sunday night.

This blog is due in just under four hours.

I haven't read Chapter 37 in U.S.

I haven't read my Chemistry chapter.

I haven't written my English paper.

I haven't worked out.

I haven't attacked my to-do list.

I haven't made a decision.

I'm sitting here.  Listening to "Almost Lover" by A Fine Frenzy, trying to dream up another sad song to jam to after this one ends (I chose "Little Lion Man").  I'm all for openness and awareness, and I can calmly tell you that sometimes I struggle with some rough stuff.

I think we've got to chill out in the next 100 years, or we won't make it.

My dad was saludictorian.  He got one B.  He tells me now that he didn't do any homework at home.  Maybe that's a product of where he was from, but I know that the pressures we put on the high-achieving kids is enough to make them melt. 

Take, for example, Barrett.  That kid is a total rockstar at work efficiency.  He can survive with minimal minimal sleep.  But last week, he was running off of 2.5ish hours, and he was zonked!  He did it.  He survived the day.  He got the nomination.  He rocked it out, but he was out of it. 

We push until we run ragged, and then we pray that it's enough to make us successful, to make people appreciate us, to make us get into college, to make us feel good about ourselves. 

In the 1950s (and even later), most families just had one car.  The breadwinner would drive it to work, the homebody would stay at home or within walking distance.  The kids would ride the bus, or walk, or carpool. 

We now have the ability to do some great stuff.  That's 100% sure.  And I derive so much of my identity from all the cool stuff we get to do, but I wonder if it's actually a good thing to be in that boat.  I wonder if I'm not missing out on some formational experience: learning of my intrinsic value or appreciating everything around me before I dive in head first. 

In 100 years, if we want to survive, we've got to learn to breathe.  Sometimes observing is better than doing.  Sometimes it's okay not to be able to do it all.  I'll be the first to admit that.