Forty years ago my parents hired a one legged painter to paint the interior of our home. My folks weren’t concerned about his ability and so they signed a contract and arranged for him to take care of the house.
Once while he was standing on a ladder his prosthetic leg fell off and he had to ask someone to help him. According to family legend my dad asked me to take the man’s leg and hand it to him.
Sometimes when I tell that story I insert a joke about being the junior version of Richard Kimble in search of the one armed man but I won’t because it is not the most effective use of my time.
That story usually comes to mind when I hear people say things like “I am busier than a one legged man in an ass kicking contest.” Colorful and memorable, but I am not a fan of busy.
Busy Isn’t Always Good
I am not interested in being busy. I want to be productive. I want to use my time to take care of things that are significant, important and meaningful. I suspect that it is something that most of us share in common.
The big challenge that comes with that life throws lots of mud in our direction and we can’t always duck, dodge or move sideways. Sometimes you get stuck standing in line at the bank or some government office because the only way to knock item number 239 off of your checklist is to meet with someone there.
Sometimes your time is swallowed up by family obligations and responsibilities that prevent you from focusing your attention on the tasks you really want to.
Yet all this busy work has a purpose. It is part of what helps appreciate time. It is a reminder that it only takes a few minutes of freedom from busy work to remember how good that feels.
What do you think?
“Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.”
― Groucho Marx
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