57 Comments

This is beautiful and perceptive. As a housewife, I struggle to justify my own time. People did the patronizing (implications in context) "you're doing the most important job there is!" but anything aside from raising kids had no value because it wasn't paid. Therefore, because I didn't "work", there was no time when I wasn't working that was clearly my own. Now, divorced and kids grown, I describe myself as gainfully unemployed when asked what I do. We have no language for making a life that doesn't serve the market. I think this is an impediment to imagining an economy where that's possible for everyone.

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Thank you, Charles.

For me the word that comes up that is preferable, rather than busy is, am I receptive? Letters and sounds add to and build on an existent use of a word alone or in phrases, and the buzz sound of busy, paints a sense and picture of a time over-involved with the outside world, even “busy as a bee” used to describe humans does not convey appreciation for the bee’s deep involvement with the flower.

Am I receptive asks, foundationally, “Am I connected in a meaningful way to that which I am doing, planning (drawing from within to discover the steps forward), and with whom I am interacting?” All these also remove the ego’s self-consideration. Being receptive, for me, takes limited elements out of the picture and returns us to connection.

I am always so grateful for your deep perceptions of life and the truths you share, Charles, deeply resonant to my heart, as you draw these from the “times” we are in.

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Ah I came to the comments section to offer some thoughts after feeling the strong resonance of your words and then read that others have offered those very thoughts already. In these isolating times, it is such a wonderful thing to find myself not only in your writing but the community built around your writing. This lil corner of the internet is a lovely thing. Thank you Charles and everyone here.

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A large part of my response to this essay is a sad sort of tiredness. I resonate deeply with the thoughts Charles shares here. I’ve felt ill at ease within this civilization’s system of “work” and “education”, since I can remember. I just cannot see how to—in practical terms—achieve what my heart and soul want so desperately. I cannot see any real “out” from this oppressive system. It caught onto me as a five year old, and it still has the dominating vote on what is actually possible. At least, that’s how it feels to me. It’s no wonder that, along with deep grief and fear and all the other difficult emotions that arise with climate and societal collapse awareness, there is also a kind of elated excitement palpable in communities where it’s the prevailing topic. It’s definitely an underlying emotion for me, around the idea of civilization’s collapse (whatever that actually looks like, in the event). Because I simply cannot see a way out otherwise. And yet, I can’t see anything wonderful coming of that collapse in my current lifetime, either. Just a different kind of struggle. Hence, the tiredness, I suppose.

I hope this doesn’t bring anyone down. On the other hand, it’s the truth for me right now, and maybe for some others, too, so it feels important to speak it.

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"my longing to be busy with a life I love, to hold my time sacred". This phrase I will hold dear in guiding me. Thank you.

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Dear Charles, thank you for your great gift of self-perception and your humility in sharing what you notice. I noticed the exact same dilemma when we had multiple invitations to speak at international conferences (on the subject of compassionate and humane healthcare). The solution, suggested by my wise wife Meredith, was not to make decisions with our heads but to listen to our hearts. So instead of accepting the opportunities that seemed to be a strategic opportunity, or from a famous institution, or to meet influential leaders - the previous choices we made - the sole criteria became, "Will this gathering make our own hearts sing?" So we graciously turned down the invitation to the prestigious university and instead accepted the invitation to participate in an inspiring gathering of hospital volunteers in California, the most dedicated, loving and heart-felt group you could imagine. This strategy nourished our souls and, over time, led to fruitful partnerships with organisations that really 'got it' rather than playing lip service to the cause. We deliberately eliminated the work "busy" from our language and in response to people saying, "You must be so busy!" we responded, "No, not busy, just fully occupied doing what we love."

It's really the same strategy that Marie Kondo teaches in her books about de-cluttering your life: for each possession you ask the question, "Does this give me joy?" If the answer is "no" then gift the item to someone else

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I resigned from Corporate Healthcare Summer 2021 after nearly 29 years and looking back I realized the conditioning of "Busy" as a badge of honor. "I don't have time now because....." "I'm Busy right now I will get to that when I have a moment...." "I have a mountain of charts, emails and messages to get back to before I leave, I am late already for...." were particular normal refrains from many and as such I believe was engineered into work to stop others from connecting truly in deep fashion and to monetize time at the expense of healing. Choice to reclaim back the product of our labor is Sovereignty in full bloom.....I have been afforded the "gift of time" I no longer have busy 60 hour work weeks. It has morphed into a living into avocations and rebuilding into the Freedom to owning the consequence of choice of when and what I want to put my attention to and with whom. Thank you Charles for the fine reflections.

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Thank you, once again, for your gift with words and putting these essential desires into tangible form. Thank you for helping us all to call it in.

To be free to do things beautifully and well; to live with dignity; to hold our time sacred; to be sovereign over our lives; to be put to the very best use.

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Divine Timing! I am sorry about your drive but have much gratitude in my heart for THIS essay. I literally went to bed with deep emotional pain for ALL of what you have beautifully captured. In order for transformation to occur, enough of us must be discontent with what IS. I do not feel so all alone. You understand. Consciousness recognizing the same inner deep, soul desires of Consciousness in another sends out echoes across the Universe. Awareness… Witnessing… creative Expression IS Everything. I love your soul and your writing 💗

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"My yoke is easy and my burden is light." When we are yoked or connected with God's will, time has no negative connotation. We are doing what we came here to do and it will all get done. Doing comes from the mind and it takes getting our minds right to be in God's will.

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love the jewel about the brag of being busy. Good one. Your essay makes me think of being in balanced time or in the field of harmony time that you could wake up in as a small child. There was no busy and yet we never stopped.

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Nice. I love the ending!

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I'm so busy is nothing more than a pernicious euphemism for - I just don't have time for you!

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All my adult life I have lived by the idea that by living as simply as possible, having a veg garden, preserving food, mending stuff, being ok with things looking worn, making things, shopping in charity shops, not needing to own a house, living with out the imagined 'security' that our society foists on us , etc etc I can make my need for money less, and I can enjoy a much fuller and freer life, doing what gives me joy on the whole, being available for long conversations, and cups of tea with people, minding my grandchildren when asked, having time to do things on impulse, and living according to the hours that seem to satisfy my body rhythms - that is late nights and late mornings.... and laughing at the situations which occurr as a result of having little money - but I am fortunate to live in a country that provises a financial safety net of sorts, although bound about with crazy amounts of bureaucracy which can stunt peoples creativity and urge to be useful, and turns people into liars in order to survive so its not perfect - which leads me to advocate for a culture which gives everyone a basic small income with no questions asked and frees people to live their lives in a more creative and balanced way

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I actually assume you live a pretty balanced life. I love you in interviews where you must go take care of kid something. If I contacted you I might say do you the time now? I like what you are saying here. I am working with having no assumptions and it is not easy and yes Charles I am sure we all project onto you. Forgive us. These days I do not hustle much at all...ahhh...the pandemic has been a teacher. I allow life to arise and enfold and I try to know when to say no.

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THANK YOU, CHARLES. THE NAIL HAS BEEN DIRECTLY TAPPED ON ITS HEAD. I TRULY LOVE & RESONATE WITH YOUR MANNER OF EXPRESSION. BLESS YOU, ROBERTA

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