We get to stop from time to time. In fact, we need to stop.
Our technology, meant to free us, actually enslaves us. We’re ‘on’ 24/7/365.
There’s no space; no respite.
We’re expected to be at the net ready to volley. We’re expected to react: Immediately.
Forget about consideration; forget about reflection.
Everything is urgent. Everything is now.
Except that it’s not.
We’re not trauma surgeons. And even if we were, we wouldn’t make ourselves quite as crazy as we do.
Many of the lawyers I work with exist in a near-constant state of anxiety and stress. Everything appears to be an emergency; everything seems dire. Every day, they feel as if they are fighting a forest fire with a squirt gun.
No doubt, they have some pretty important deadlines to keep in mind. We all do. But for the most part, no one dies if we slow down the pace for ourselves. No one dies if we take the time to give a considered response.
No one dies if we take the time to pause. 
But endeavoring to slow down in our culture of overwhelm can be one of our most daunting challenges.
It’s not really in vogue.
In fact, if you’re not ‘busy,’ if you’re not ‘flat out,’ if you don’t have your calendar jammed, if you don’t have stuff scheduled back to back for yourself (and your kids), something’s wrong with you!
But that’s not sustainable. (Would you run your high performance car that way?)
You cannot thrive without a pause. So pause you must.
Create time and space for yourself to think, reflect, create; take the time to decide how you want to impact, who you want to serve, and what you want your legacy to be!
Take the time to consider the beauty and the grandeur of the here and now.
Take the time to nurture and care for yourself.
Take the time to me mindful.
Take the time to be; to just be.
You will enjoy the rewards of a peaceful, grounded, joy-filled life that is productive, resourceful and resilient.
Your life is your masterpiece.
Artur Rubenstein once said, “The notes I handle no better than many pianists. But the pauses between the notes—ah, that is where the art resides.”
That’s the power of the pause.
Walt, this is an essential message, and beautifully written. The space between the leaves lets us see the tree. Rubenstein’s quote is so true. Without the pause that refreshes, we are in adrenaline overload and eventually we burn out. I love turning off all technology every week as the sun goes down on Friday evenings and celebrating the Sabbath with my family & community…It gives definition, recharge, and restores a lot of the connection that was missed during our hurried technology-filled week. I can see that waiting until Friday to “pause” may be way too long. Pausing regularly is a vital structure & practice to put in place, even to schedule.
Thanks for the reminder.