When asked how I am doing I am learning to avoid saying "busy." Am I more busy than others? Do I think myself so important that to be busy is my obligation? Do I expect pity or reward? Or, am I just so consumed with myself that I cannot take time to thoughtfully respond?
"Busy" may rightly portray our availability, but it is not a condition. When considered as such (i.e. when used as a response to how we are doing), busyness is the lowest form of suffering and not worthy of anyone's pity. Except we be ruled by tyrants, our busyness is entirely our own making and our busyness usually comes from the tyrannical rule of our own idols.
Our love of money, position, recognition, or fame hold our time and energies captive and all we are left saying for ourselves is that we are "busy."
This is not the way of God. He desires to be our sole pursuit (Matt. 6:33). When we seek him with everything we find ourselves occupied and still available to those around us. We will be employed in the tasks we have been designed for. In that place the yoke is easy and the burden is light.
Anybody can be busy but Thoreau reminds us, ""It is not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?"
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