The Tyranny of Urgency

 

Deadline Schmedline!

    When I pick the stitches of life apart, one of the hard to discern knots has been labeled urgency. 

    The invisible whip. The hand of time. Also the imagined expectations of others.
    I looked it up in the good old Etymologyonline.com.

urgent (adj.)

mid-15c., from Old French urgent "pressing, impelling" (14c.), from Latin urgentem (nominative urgens), present participle of urgere "to press hard, urge" (see urge (v.)). Related: Urgently.

I also landed on exigency.

exigency (n.)

1580s, "that which is needed," from French exigence, from Latin exigentia "urgency," from exigentem (nominative exigens), present participle of exigere "demand, require, enforce," literally "to drive or force out," also "to finish, measure," from ex "out" (see ex-) + agere "to set in motion, drive, drive forward; to do, perform" (from PIE root *ag- "to drive, draw out or forth, move"). Meaning "state of being urgent" is from 1769. Related: Exigencies (1650s).

    Just to be sure I know what I’m talking about, you know?
    One of my present goals is to get out from under the imaginary whip. I believe that it’s a matter of discernment. What I care about matters.
    Some things must be dealt with immediately, the baby, the job, the fire, that sort of thing.
    I have always been the right now kid. I did a lot of things real fast and hassled my own head.
    Sometimes being the right now kid pays off, but sometimes it leads to trouble for years to come.
    So, I am working on not speaking instantly. Really! Not acting instantly. Not imagining that there is an invisible choir of people waiting for me to produce, to act, to get to the point.
    I am trying to concentrate on being. To have value in and of just being, not stripping my gears so urgently. To inhabit the eternal now with poise.

    Also, if I would slow the heck down I might do a better job after all.