IN AN INTERVIEW, Thomas Merton was once asked what he believed to be the leading spiritual disease of our time, and his response was efficiency. According to Merton, “from the monastery to the Pentagon the plant has to run…and there is little time or energy left over after that for anything else.” It is partly a sign of the times, but we are slowly depleting time for what is most important, and that is contemplation.One thing that is counteracting this idea of contemplation is achievement. I can almost imagine the argument against it, saying "imagine all that you could accomplish in your time spent doing nothing!" It stems from society's value of self-worth as opposed to who we are; such as our morals and integrity. Monetary worth has trumped moral values and this has affected the way we organize our lives.
Don't get me wrong, it is important to apply yourself and excel in whatever it is you wish to do, but there must always be time for you. Don't give up what makes you the person you are. If you find peace and contemplation in reading, in running, in yoga, or even just sitting outdoors and enjoying God's creation, make that a priority along with your spiritual life. There is always time for what you make a priority.
