A common phrase echoed back to a person sharing details of a scenario that seems unrealistic or to convey utter shock that a situation has played out the way it has is “are you serious?” Another play on the word serious is when we meet individuals who come across as intense and it is said, “they are way too serious.” I have spent some time thinking about what I should be serious about.
After reaching a milestone birthday recently, I starting reassessing many aspects of my life. I realize that time is flying fast. All things considered, when you count the value of your days and all that has to be accomplished in them, I thought to myself ‘I gotta get serious.’ What do I mean when I say serious ? When I think about being serious, I think about focus. Prioritization. Weight. Discipline. Consistency. Webster’s defines serious as 1) of showing or characterized by deep thought; 2) requiring thought concentration of application and/or 3) weighty or important. Because life is filled with so many activities, interests, ideas of curiosity, goals, distractions, responsibilities, fantasies, and even mundaneness, we can find ourselves wandering or engaged in life with meager attempt. Brilliant individuals are able to quickly assess what they count as serious and what isn’t serious. Is your business or career a serious matter? What about your faith and health? Are your relationships and finances a serious matter? What about your self care? Are conversations and contemplation a serious matter? The list goes on and on. The beauty of it all is that you are able to define what is serious to you. I can not define what it is for you, but I ask the question today, ‘are you serious?” You are the one who defines what is weighty.
Becoming sensitive in this area may require admitting that there are areas that have been shrugged away as non-important or ignored that should have more attention. Asking the question can reset focus and eliminate mindless activities and wasting of a precious commodity known as time.
I leave with this thought from Psalm 90:12:
12 So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Days….We only have a few of them, so let us use them wisely.