Keeping Priorities in Check
Published on 17 Aug 2005 · Filed in Rant · 296 words (estimated 2 minutes to read)As technical people, we often immerse ourselves in our work to a far greater extent than people in other fields do. Why? I would imagine that most people, like myself, find this field to be as much of a hobby as it is a career. Sometimes, that’s fine, as it gives us the necessary technical edge to excel in a highly competitive arena.
But sometimes we take it too far. As I was driving to work this morning, the song “American Dream” by Casting Crowns (great Christian rock group, by the way; see their web site) started playing. Listening to the song’s lyrics, I was reminded of the real priorities in life (all lyrics copyrighted by Casting Crowns):
Not this time son I’ve no time to waste
Maybe tomorrow we’ll have time to play
And then he slips into his new BMW
And drives farther and farther and farther away
So he works all day and tries to sleep at night
He says things will get better;
Better in time
How many times have we worked late to finish up that “important project”? You know, the one that just couldn’t wait until tomorrow? Too many times. Of course, this isn’t the first time this song has spoken to my heart; I’ve been a fan of Casting Crowns from practically Day One, and this song has always been a powerful one. I thank God that I realized my priorities were wrong years ago, and started putting God and my family first. I say that not to lift myself up or to speak highly of myself, but to give God the glory. To the rest of you techies out there, take note: It is possible to be successful in this field without sacrificing what really matters in life.