The fact is that we're loaded up. We're taking on jobs and school work, most of which is full time. Some of us are in leadership positions in student or church organizations. Others of us have girlfriends and groups of friends that demand our time and attention. Some of us live at home or with other people, which in turn demands attention to the responsibilities of the home and being a good roommate. Our attention is drawn in a thousand different directions, and some things are bound to get lost.
Now, as men we are workers. It's a good thing that we have things that fill our time. Joseph was a worker. St. Francis of Assisi literally rebuilt churches. Pope John Paul the Great, soon to be Blessed John Paul the Great, worked tirelessly for the church, especially for the youth. Jesus himself was a carpenter, and our Father worked to build and maintain creation. As men we are drawn to complete our tasks and to take on work. This desire is a good and holy thing. It means that we're acting in the way were designed.
The problem is found when we fill our time with things that don't benefit us, or fill our time to the point where we neglect other, more important things. Things such as prayer, relationship and rest. The irony is that these things that we neglect are the very things that we need most, and should be prioritizing above all else. These things are made to refresh us and keep us strong and holy. We live in a world that requires us to move at blinding speeds and work constantly just to keep up with the person sitting next to us in class or in the office. We are seldom really present because we're thinking about what we need to do next. This extreme drive is dangerous, in that it has the glaring risk of taking us out of the moment and damaging that which we should hold most dear. That is, our relationship with God and other people.
What we need to do is prioritize. Take the time, yes from something else, and lay out your schedule for a normal week. Make sure that the things that you are doing are helping your growth as a man. If an activity is overly stressful or impeding your growth, cut it out. I want to challenge you to give yourself an hour a day where you can rest. Also, make time for 20 minutes of daily prayer in which to tell the Father what's going on in your life, and to ask for help. Finally, and seemingly most difficult, I want you to give yourself one day and/or one night a week off. Use this time to relax, spend time with friends, or just decompress. However, for your own sake, don't schedule what you do during this time. It kind of defeats the purpose, don't you think?
My prayer for everyone is that we can work in ways that are holy and healthy. I know that I'm just as guilty of falling into the hustle and bustle as anyone else, but I want to change that. We need a balance of of work, and living life. A radio personality I listen to once said something that I think is poignant. "There are 24 hours in a day. 8 to work, 8 to sleep, and 8 to live". I think if we can find a way to discipline ourselves into that pattern, this world will change for the better.
May the Lord our God bless us
St. Joseph, model of manliness, pray for us
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