Driver-less cars
They are popping up more and more in Phoenix – driverless cars. They’re a bit unsettling to me even when I see someone behind the wheel because I know said driver is simply occupying that space while the car does its thing.
Automation has certainly increased the quality of our lives through both reducing the cost of goods that make our lives easier.
Our Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) keeps our bodies humming along as it controls our heart rate and breathing without any conscious thought. And thank goodness that we don’t have to remember anew how to brush our teeth each day.
Living life on auto pilot – not so good. But yet most humans do just this. They are like the driverless cars going about driven by their programming. We have more opportunities than ever before but settle into “lives of quiet desperation” as Thoreau so memorably put it.
I’m not going to insert some admonishment to “take it to the next level” or to Carpe Diem! Sometimes that can lead to a new form of mindless distraction when you are perpetually looking into the future.
Rather, I would encourage you to begin by being present. Look around you. Marvel at the beauty of the bird outside your window. Look into the eyes of your loved one with appreciation. Count your blessings.
The first step in taking back your life is to simply be present. Isn’t it time for you to take the wheel?
