Over the past five years, our lives have gradually become less about ourselves and more about others. Today we decided that we are going to take that further than we perhaps feel comfortable with, and commit to a year of being Interruptable.
This is an idea that we have been aware of for some time now, and whenever the topic arises, Tim and I both feel drawn to it. Being Interruptable. We've heard about it in various places (books/sermons/conversations with others/etc), and every now and then we have an Interruptable moment or day. Today we have committed, as a family, to an Interruptable year.
It's not about emergency situations, you know, the times when you NEED to offer assistance. Driving down a road and coming across a car on fire ~ you get out and offer your fire extinguisher without a second thought. Sitting watching TV late at night and you hear that unmistakeable sound of a car crash ~ you grab your shoes and cellphone and run to see how you can help without a second thought.
Our Interruptable Year is about those everyday situations, when you pass by a person or a situation, and your very first thought is "I should stop and see if I can be of any help". But then in less than a second your mind ticks over the endless list of reasons as to why you shouldn't stop
~ I'll be late for where I'm going
~ the frozens will defrost before I get them home to the freezer
~ it's lunchtime and I'm getting hungry
~ they look like they know what they are doing
~ I probably won't be able to help
~ someone else will do it
~ it's raining and I'll get really wet
~ I can't be bothered
and so you don't stop. You carry on your merry way, rushing off to wherever you 'need' to be.
The aim of our Interruptable Year, is to pay more attention to that first thought, to act on that first thought, and to deny the list of excuses.
To meet people we wouldn't have otherwise met.
To care about others, whether we know them or not.
To have completely random and unplanned experiences.
To be Interruptable in our everyday lives.
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