In his book The DNA of Relationships, renowned author Gary Smalley
makes the point that “Life is relationships; the rest is just
details.” I am in no position to challenge Dr. Smalley’s point, but
I’ve found that the word “distractions” has more personal relevance
for me when it comes to understanding those things that compete with
the relationships in my life.
Whenever I reflect on my past, I always think in terms of the people
who have meant so very much to me. I’m sometimes saddened when I
think of the “things” that seemed so very important at the time and
that seem totally irrelevant today. Distractions such as the many
hours that I spent on the landscaping at all of the houses that we
no longer own. Distractions such as feeling the need to be busy all
the time – being reluctant to say no to volunteer opportunities or
requests for help by people other than my family. And distractions
such as accumulating a household of things that now sit on the
shelves at Goodwill Industries.
At the end of our lives, the only things that will matter are the
people who have crossed our paths and the depth of those
relationships. As I’ve gotten older, I find myself making different
choices almost daily. Time spent with loved ones and dear friends
always takes priority over my ever-present “to-do” list. I find
myself being far more receptive to spontaneous suggestions by my
husband Gary such as “let’s take a break and go hang out at
Starbucks for awhile.”
Sometimes I can become a bit melancholy when I think of the lost
opportunities of the past. I would give anything to be able to
simply sit and talk with our son Nathan for ten minutes. I would
love to spend an hour or so cooking with my mother who passed away
at the age of 93 in May of this year. But I also don’t want to waste
time or be distracted by regrets or guilt over the mistaken
priorities of the past. I’ve learned from those mistakes and now my
responsibility is to live as if my life depended on the
relationships that God puts on my path.
Christ expressed it
so beautifully, as captured in the gospel of Matthew, Chapter 6: “Do
not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust
destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust
destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your
treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Where is your treasure?
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