Why The Rush?

I've been noticing a lot lately that so many people always seem in such a hurry, whether it be in traffic, walking down the street, waiting in line, or whatever else they may be doing. It makes me wonder why they're always in such a hurry to get to what's next, especially at the expense of what's now. Ultimately, we all have the same destination: the grave. It might sound depressing, but it's a cold, hard fact of life. So, really, all they are doing is rushing to their grave.

I'll admit, I used to be one of these people, so I know some of the self-justification for this behavior. Life is short, after all, so who wants to waste it sitting in traffic or walking to your car after work? Thing is, how much time to we really save by rushing as we do? More importantly, how much less do we enjoy that time by miring ourselves in impatience and hurry?

For myself, I stepped back and looked at it last year (even before I started studying Buddhism) and came to my own realization. Using driving and traffic as an example, I used to be one of those people rushing around, weaving through lanes and driving well above the speed limit. I would let myself get impatient and frustrated when slower vehicles were in my way. All just to save time on the drive home. One day, I decided I'd had enough and would just relax that day and take as long as it took. The drive was stress-free and quite relaxing, and ending up only taking an extra five minutes.

So, I weighed the options. I could get home in 20 minutes every day by rushing, and spend the whole trip stressed out. Not to mention the extra 10-15 minutes it would take me to decompress when I got home. Or, I could relax and get home in 25 minutes and have a pleasant trip home, and arrive home already relaxed and need no decompression time. The time I saved was simply not worth it, and I welcomed the reduction in stress from my life.

I have chosen to relax, and take my time. Enjoy the drive home, listen to some music or a podcast, or even just drive in silence and enjoy some time in my thoughts. Enjoy the walk to the car, take in the world around me or just enjoy the walking itself. Practice a little walking meditation even. I'll leave everyone else to their rushing and stress and unhappiness and hope that they can one day find the joy of the now.