Read this week's message from Father Don
Dear parishioners
Is life becoming more complicated? It is certainly a lot busier than when I grew up.
In most families these days, both parents are working and the kids are involved with numerous extra-curricular activities. Family life is so busy that it is often hard for the family to sit down together for dinner more than twice a week. I suspect this extreme busyness is one of the reasons for the great anxiety and stress that has become so common in our society.
It is a challenging time for parents, many of whom struggle to balance their work obligations, their children’s eagerness to be involved in after-school activities and their desire to have a stable and comfortable homelife. Parents work very hard to build strong families but the pressures from “the outside world” can sometimes be overwhelming.
Here’s a simple question: Would you prefer to have a more relaxed homelife and be able to spend more time at home with your kids?
Despite all the external pressures placed on families, parents presumably have some choice with regard to how the family spends its time. They may be able to set limits on how many hours a day they spend at work or how many extra-curriculars their children are involved with. They may even be able to designate three dinners a week where all the family is to be present.
In our culture there is no easy way for families to maintain a balanced and relaxed lifestyle. There is, however, a real possibility of making family life more balanced and more relaxed than it presently is.
Decisions can be made that would create a bit more time for family members to play a game together, quietly read a book or take a walk in the park. Even small changes can impact our quality of life and persuade us that we do have some control over how we spend our time.
If you would like to have a chat about this challenging modern issue please join me in the Parish Hall Sunday November 10 after the 9 am mass.
“Give me a quiet life, give me trees, the wind through them,
give me a sea and the song it sings. Give me heartbeats shared with those I love,
give me peace and a long deep sleep.” (T.K. Gregson)
T.K. Gregson's quote resonates with me💡Thank you!