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I just want to lament our American fast food mentality and desire for quick fixes. I’m laughing here, but my hubby stood in front of the microwave tapping his foot in impatience last night because there was a minute and half left on the clock and it was taking forever.

What stuck me as so interesting was that he had nothing to do after the microwave did it’s thing. Like, we’re often in this big hurry, but we aren’t even really going anywhere. I’m the same way, sometimes I can’t wait to get back to my books, back to my writing.

Health problems? We want a pill, an immunization, and a quick fix. Hardly anyone wants to deal with pain by doing weeks of physical therapy. High blood pressure and diabetes? Very few of us are prepared to deal with it by long term diet and exercise changes. Just give me some meds so I can get on with my life.

We miss out on a whole lot of life by not living in the moment, by always wanting to move onto the next thing. Mindfulness in the moment is not our strong suit. It’s good to be active too, to have a vision. I’m not trying to shame that, I’m just saying kicking back and smelling the roses or lounging over coffee are not a huge part of the American psyche.

When was the last time you heard someone say, “well, I’ve accomplished enough, progressed enough, bought enough stuff, so now I’m going to just put my feel up and enjoy the roses?” Maybe even, invest in human relationships. Perish the thought.

Passing laws is another attempt at quick fixes. There outta be a law! That’ll fix it. I live in the land of quick fix laws, like somebody is offended by plastic straws, ban them! Poof, problem solved. Also we’re offended by disposable grocery bags, styrofoam coffee cups, people who don’t recycle, signage of any kind, big trucks, and sound ordinances. I kid you not, a good chunk of our sound ordinances in this area began as, “I’m going to fix my neighbor’s loud music,” not by talking to them, but by shoving through a massive sound ordinance, so now if someone wants to sing the national anthem with a speaker in a park it is illegal. That is one of many unintended consequences of our local silly quick fix laws that failed to diagnose the problem properly and prescribed the wrong solution.

So that’s my lament today. I guess that somewhere over the rainbow I live in this place where time is eternal, where the mission has already been accomplished, where half the joy of living is born of just getting into those rhythms and embracing those seasons, and kicking back.

Live and let live, we need a lot more of that in the world.

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