Wanna Go Outside With Me?

I must confess that I am a little envious of one aspect of smoking culture. Smokers give themselves permission to take little mini respites throughout the day. They excuse themselves, go outside, breathe deeply, look up at the sky, and have meaningless chit chat with other smokers - often with total strangers. Somehow the need to smoke gives them permission to have these little mini vacations, little holidays, little retreats with no agenda and nothing to be accomplished. They will just stop, go outside, breathe deep, look up a the sky, and share a meaningless conversation. Our culture is so driven by goals, deadlines, and to-do list. The only things of value, according to our culture, are the things that can be counted or measured or accomplished. It's this Priest's opinion that the things of greatest value can't be counted or measured or evaluated - they just are - they are about being, not doing. So, like our wonderful smoker friends, may the rest of us give ourselves permission to take little breaks - breaks with no agenda. Just go outside, breathe deep, look up at the sky, and maybe have meaningless chit chat with someone. Wanna go outside with me? We don't have to light up!