The things that matter most

I thought there was an early practice for the choir this afternoon so I went there around 3PM. When I got there in our rehearsal area I was surprised that nobody was in there yet wherein fact I was already late for the supposedly 2PM schedule. I texted our coordinator and asked if there was an early practice (that was the original schedule discussed from the previous week), and she replied that there was none. At that moment I felt like I was being left out. I didn’t receive any message that the rehearsal was cancelled but before I got into this sort of self-pitying I reminded myself that it was also my fault to not ask and confirm the rehearsal. I wasn’t able to attend the other practice before which was last Friday. Maybe they have announced it there about the cancellation of today’s practice.

The good thing is I was able to control my temper and be rational about my thinking. If I’m the same person that I was about two years ago, I would probably burst out in rage complaining about the inaccuracy of information and failure of communication. I would rant about the unfair treatment that I should be staying at the house instead with more time to rest. I shouldn't be coming there early with nothing to do and no one to talk to. I used to be short-tempered back then, imitating my previous bosses who were strict about everything, yelling on imperfections and swearing on the flaws. I have just realized by now that I have changed somehow and that is because of my deepening relationship with God.

It was still two hours away before the time of our mass service. Instead of going somewhere, I entered the church and attend the 3PM mass. It has been a year since I attend the mass as a plain churchgoer. When I joined the choir I’m always attending the mass together with my choir mates in the comfort of the choir loft – secured chair, electric fan, free from the claustrophobic crowd. Today, I experienced again to be seated there in the row, in the last row. I was able to get a seat (people who comes late rarely has the chance to get one) and sat there thinking about the thing that happened to me. Then it was sort like a voice has whispered into my ear, “It just that God wants to spend more time with you today”. I saw Jesus there in the cross, and it seemed like I heard him say, “I want to spend longer time with you today.” If I hadn’t come there early, I would probably be spending time at home facing my laptop doing the same stuffs I bury my nose on from Monday to Saturday. God has made a way to give me a break and cuddle me in his loving arms, rocking me as a baby, whispering in my ears that everything is going to be okay because He's there to take care and watch over me.

I attended the mass and heard the sermon of the priest. After that, it was still an hour away before our 5PM mass service but I went up to the choir loft anyway. I sat there in the corner, browsing my phone and realized that there have been three birthdays for the past week of which I missed to send my greetings. So I send them all my belated greetings assuring them that I didn’t forget their special day. I really didn’t forget, it just that I didn’t get the time to stop from my busy activities and spend some seconds to greet them “happy birthday”. . .

While I typed this article, I came to realize about so many things about time and priorities. Because of so many things that I worry about (financial, career, future), I’m giving less of the time that I should be giving to Him. Most of the time I’m failing to be there in our choir rehearsals (which happen twice a week only for 2-3 hours), and there are even Sundays that I’m absent or nowhere. Why? Because I feel like spending my time instead to things that could earn me money or recognition. There are lots of resources now to communicate with friends from mobile to different gadgets through the internet but I’m still failing to send them even the shortest HBD greeting for their special day. Why? Because I think I could always send them a belated greeting when I’m no longer bombarded with things-to-do – which never really happen.

God has reminded me today to take note of these more important things. Our time is indeed very limited so let’s not consume it all in work alone – remember that other than our job there are more important parts in our life that also need our time and attention. Let’s not miss the most important. There’s more to life than money and fame and those are the people around us and most of all is the Lord our God to whom we owe everything that we have in life.