Tired, tired, everyone is tired.

It almost sounds cliché. How can we all be so tired? 

We are tired partly because everyone is busy, overstretched beyond our limits. We are tired because of the perception or idea that “being busy” is equivalent to being “successful”. Our culture and society value busyness and task-orientedness.

We are also tired because many of us do not get enough sleep.

But, did you know that the word “boredom” is absent in ancient languages? That word is a fairly new addition to our language.

I think we are also tired because we have lost our sense of wonder. The extraordinary sights of our world, the beauty of nature, the delight in even the simple and ordinary is buried underneath the thrill-seeking adventures, the fast pace, the digital screen. We are too easily bored with what used to fascinate us: the stars, trees, music, art, a good book, etc. In addition, our lives are lived behind screens.

We have lost our sense of wonder. We no longer pay attention. We’re rushing around. The world is blasé.

But there is an antidote: if we live in gratitude, amazement, and wonder at the marvelous mysteries and miracles around us, we have no time to be bored.

We will feel less “tired.”

This is not to say that our daily challenges can be quite taxing on us, physically and emotionally taxing; I acknowledge that life is full of difficulties that stretch us to the very edge.

I came across this quote this morning:

“Attention is the beginning of devotion.” ~Mary Oliver

Are we paying attention? Are we finding wonder in the world around us?

No?

No “wonder” we are tired. We are more than physically and emotionally tired; we are soul-tired.

The world is bigger than ourselves. If we can’t find the wonder in the world of an ant, in the glorious skies above, in the flowers that shine from the ground, in knowing Jesus, in God’s word, and fail to notice immeasurable miracles that surround us … we have some soul-work to do.

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[This post is written based on the prompt “Tired”, posted on Five Minute Friday.]

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