Whoa

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." 

Is anyone else feeling this same sentiment from Ferris Bueller?

Beyond being a funny movie line from “Ferris Bueller's Day Off,” it is a timeless piece of advice about mindfulness and appreciating the present moment.

It’s true - taking a day off can help create a time and a space to help combat the feeling of life moving so fast. That’s a practical solution and can be a very good thing to do.

However, much of the time we must function and live out daily life while at the same time, carrying that feeling of life moving way too fast. Sometimes we desire to say, “Whoa” to life.

One of the first commands my mom taught me as I learned to ride a horse was “Whoa.” So very practical! As a little Kindergartener, I needed to be able to tell the horse to stop or slow down. I had to use my big girl voice so that the horse could hear me and sense my control. The word “whoa” comes from the root word “ho” that was often used to call animals to a halt.

Today, the word “whoa” can have both positive and negative connotations.  
Some of my recent “whoas” this week have been…
Whoa, there’s so much to do.
Whoa, how is it already Friday?
Whoa, it’s really hot out.
Not so positive.

But other times this week, my “whoa” has meant...
Whoa, the chrysalis phase of a butterfly is so cool.
Whoa, that cloud formation looks like a lamb.
Whoa, that sweatshirt my daughter made turned out really cute.
Whoa, how does my friend have the strength?
The wonder and awe types of “whoa.”

Whoa, that’s really sad. Whoa, that’s so exciting!
Whoa, we lost. Whoa, we won!
We use “whoa” for both ends of the emotional spectrum.

What about the whoa moments for the apostles? I’m not sure what the Aramaic equivalent to “whoa” would have been 2,000 years ago, but Jesus gave plenty of reasons for its exclamation. Yesterday’s reading took us to the time when Jesus (whoa, at a really bad time of day to fish!) instructed the apostles to put out into the deep water. Whoa - the nets were weighed down, breaking from the weight of fish that were miraculously caught!

Life indeed moves quickly. It’s important to intentionally take the time to say, “Whoa” and slow down. Both positive and negative “whoa moments" surround us each day. May we turn to Jesus in gratitude for the whoa moments and always be open to receiving them. We just have to stop and look around once in a while.