Monday, January 11, 2010

got an agenda?


if you're going to have an agenda, at least make it friendly.
this is the journal my friend Heather made me to take on my travels.


It seems to me that one of the worst inventions humans ever created was an agenda.  I have one.  You have one.  My neighbour has one.  So does yours.  They come in all colours, shapes and sizes.  Book form, electronic, or a calendar posted on the kitchen wall..... we live by our agendas.   Some don't share theirs AT ALL.  They keep it all tucked away in their brains and let it fuel their mission. They remind us of what we want and what we must do to get what we want.  They hold our schedules, timetables, deadlines, appointments so we don't have to think about them.  Those navigators are necessary to free up our minds in order to pursue pot of gold goals.  You know, some people even testify that their agenda is a Godsend.  hmmmm............ Can't live without an agenda. 

Isn't that crazy?  Can you see why I suggest they are the worst invention ever?  No.......... Well, here's more.  They drive our choices, our days, our lives and make us single mindedly blind to the agenda of another.  You see, my agenda is more important than yours.  Isn't that right?  What I want is WAY more important than what you want.  I know this for a fact because I have a full agenda.  Yours has gaps. In fact. I know most of your agenda and it's ridiculous! Who in their right mind wants those things???

So often I know my agenda clashes with yours, but since I need to be rigid in my pursuit to get what I want accomplished, I'm not really concerned what yours holds. Mine's more important than yours.  My agenda. All MINE. And the more I rely on it...........on the so VERY important items that drive my mission to succeed, to WIN, the more psyched I am to do whatever it takes.  I have absolutely NO TIME to get to know you..... I'm way too busy getting my needs met.

At night, when we finally collapse in a heap on the couch after a full agenda day........of pushing to get what we want, to be recognized with email accolades, coffee mug prizes and air mile bonuses for trips we never have time for; when we let our guard down as we sink into a soft landing pad after clashing with other people intent on jousting for their pie of the agenda pie....... silent reality hits just for a scary split second.  Alone, except for our selfish attitudes.  It is only then we have the opportunity to address what is really important in life, but oddly is missing on the pages of our agenda scribblings ........ love, friendship, compassion, serving others, connecting, sharing.  

Then we push that aside.... pffffffft to that!  WE've got better fish to fry than that mushy stuff.  Let some do gooder social work type deal with that crap.  Besides, I've got church services booked in my trusty agenda.  I can listen to that sermon on Sunday.  Same old, same old.......


Sadly, the gas tank is empty anyways.  After a long day of working our agenda, we have no energy left.   Too tired to reflect.  Too tired to look in the mirror.  Too tired to care. So, we uncork the bottle of wine and pour ourselves a glass to toast ourselves as we close the book on another day. 

Gee....it sounds like one hand clapping.

4 comments:

Savannah said...

You are so right Dana. We live by our agendas, our to do lists and even worse and more dangerous....by the clock.

I'm reminded of Cast Away and how one of the important messages was how fanatical we are about living by the tick of a clock. I know this is necessary to a degree to keep some kind of order but don't you just wish we could throw it all away and just LIVE?

awareness said...

Hey Gypsy... whoa! I just posted that. :) It warms my heart to know you're online way over in Oz at the same time as me.
I was trying to use it as an analogy as well...to the "agendas" we have inside us too to get what we want..... power, wealth etc and not the things that matter. they make us so mean to others and so disrespectful of other's needs. I was actually inspired by a piece I just read by Jean Vanier. He was writing about what is important in life and how it takes a lifetime to grow our faith and our ability to develop a friendship with God.

My mind does back flips sometimes.... :)

Mark said...

The beauty of the agenda is we have a choice to become aware and to dismantle our agenda and live from and of love. If love is our agenda then we have nothing to be concerned about. Living in the moment, in the now releases our need to have and live by agendas. May our egos fall away and may our love guide us through each moment.

awareness said...

Mark, you write it so well. I chose heavy handedness in my post, but really your summary here is the underlying meaning..... you sound like Jean Vanier. You would love his writings.