Why are we always in a hurry?

Have you ever taken a moment to observe those around you? Or are you also moving at a hurried pace and too busy to notice?

I have noticed that the once popular phrase, “stop and smell the roses” is seldom heard anymore. If you live among others, regardless of city or town size, you will witness the varying pace of its residents. If you perceive everyone around you as slow movers, then you are the person always in a hurry.

As I enjoy studying the habits of individuals that I encounter daily, I have created a few categories for these individuals. Maybe you will be able to relate to one of them.

The competitors – These are the individuals who see life as a race and are always striving to be first. You will find them racing you at each red traffic light. Oftentimes, they accelerate quickly, only to be making a turn at the next block. You can also find these speed-demons at a local establishment. When they observe you parking in a nearby spot, they quickly get out of their cars so that they can beat you to the door. Competitors can also be found dashing through the aisles at a store so that they can get to the register first. They are the ones who then realize that they forgot something or were unclear about the price and end up delaying those behind them.

The entitled – These persons are the royals of the community. It is their belief that the rest of the world should wait for them and that rules should be subject to their mood. You can find these persons running red lights and cutting into traffic ahead of you. They are the persons who approach the boarding gate before their seat row is called for their flight. They expect doors to be held open for them but do not say “thank you” when they are. Ironically, they think it beneath them to hold doors open for others because their mission is more important than anyone else’s’. They can be found on the express lines of stores with more than ten items in their cart.

The victims – These are persons who are always in a hurry because they got a late start. They blame traffic, kids, weather, and life for their constant hurry. You can find them arriving late for work every morning. They are the ones whom you must give an earlier start time to for social events in the hope it gets them there on-time. Their natural habitat is on the freeway, applying makeup and paying more attention to the vanity mirror as opposed to the commuters around them. They can also be found seated in the back row at houses of worship, weddings and funerals.

The alarmists – These individuals see everything as an emergency to justify their speed. They convince themselves that they must be at various destinations at a certain time, or the world will end. They are closely related to “the victims”. You can find them constantly yelling at their spouses and children to “hurry up!” They can also be heard saying, “you are going to make us late!”

So, do you fit into any of these categories? Do you realize how many of life’s pleasures you are missing because of always being in a hurry? Did you notice that they were building a new shopping center in your neighborhood? Were you aware that your neighbor moved 6 months ago? Have you stopped to observe how much your children have grown? If not; please take some time out of each day to stop and smell the roses.