Urgent!

A Middle-aged bookstore customer was expressing her obvious annoyance to one of the store clerks. “Every time I come in here to buy a best-seller, you are ‘sold out,’ “she scolded. “Why can’t you people learn to stock your shelves more efficiently?” “And what is the title of the book you wish to purchase?” asked the clerk. “How to Remain Young and Beautiful,” the woman answered. “Very well,” replied the clerk, “I will place your order for “How to Remain Young and Beautiful” at once. And I’ll mark that order ‘urgent’.”

The sense of “urgency” is one of the big emotional problems of our time. We waste more time dealing “urgently” with matters that are unimportant than we spend on important matters that need our urgent attention. Many of us live in a constant state of siege, putting pressure on ourselves and others for the wrong reasons. Someone has called this siege mentality the “have to” disease. “I have to do this and I…