We are in the “love month” – a perfect opportunity to talk about how love and unhurried living intersect. What does love have to do with unhurried living? E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.
Love has everything to do with unhurried living.
Our ability to love others well requires unhurried living. We demonstrate love through thoughtful intentionality, quality time, patience, focused attention, engaged listening, perseverance, and undistracted presence… all of which require a lack of hurry.
I do not love well when I hurry.
Some of the things I try to do to unhurry my time with others:
- remember people are valuable
- put my phone facedown and lock eyes with the person
- ignore the to-do list in my head
- breathe deeply and be present
- remember all those times when someone took time to listen to me
- stop multi-tasking or invite the person (child) to help
- relax and enjoy the time together
- If I am truly unavailable temporarily because of a deadline or lack of emotional bandwidth, ask to schedule a time as soon as possible
- leave margin in my day for unexpected interruptions
- trust that God is ultimately in control of what I do in a day
- repeatedly read over this list
Love and hurry are fundamentally incompatible.
Living unhurried has all kinds of benefits for our health, our reflective thought processes, our decision-making, and our productivity. It only makes sense that unhurried living can also greatly benefit those we love.
How can you unhurry your love for others this month?
maturitas cafe 
Oh. My. Golly. Gee. Whiz. You are absolutely right! Relationships take time and perspective and thought. The word you use–savor–is perfect for loving someone well. Savoring their presence. Savoring their uniqueness. Savoring how they make our lives richer. Thanks for this, Ter. So timely and so needed in our hurry-scurry razzle-frazzle world.
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I am praying that you are “savoring” sweet mom memories, strength and comfort from family and community, and God’s powerful grace and compassion these days. Much love to you, special. friend. Thanks – again(!) – for always finding time to read my posts and encouraging me. You’re the best!
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You’re so worth it, my friend!
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Definitely, this is one of my goals this year. Have time for God and for people.
Doesn’t make sense study so much, work so much, with the excuse that I’m preparing myself to help and teach, if I can’t put in practice all that I’m learning.
I’m in the process of understand that it’s ok if I don’t know everything, ’cause God Knows well and my prayer and presence can be sufficient. To understand that I can learn slowly than others. I don’t need to read 50 books in a year or take all classes of my church seminary.
I can serve those around me, and God will notice, and value. This must be sufficient if I can’t cross the world, or be in a full time ministry right now.
Well, it’s a challenge everyday
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Danni – you are a wise woman! Notice and value others – more important than many other accomplishments – yes! And it is a daily challenge for all of us. Thanks for reading along! May God richly bless your willingness to learn from Him.
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Reblogged this on Leader Impact and commented:
Loving deeply requires unhurried living! This is another awesome post by Terry Morgan from her blog. It fits so well in my leadership themes. Love is not mushy sentimentality; rather it is missionally strategic! More to come on this topic…
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Thanks for the re-blog!
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