JUGHEADS
Youth Juggling Company, LLC
5905 Concord Avenue
Edina, MN 55424
jugheads@comcast.net
or 952.926.0896

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November 2002

“Can’t Slow Down...?”

I remember when Lionel Richie was at the top of the charts with an album dedicated to “partying” in a soft-rock, sophisticated style. In my reflections on how I run JUGHEADS, it strikes me that every day here seems like a party: loud music, eating things that are bad for you, permission to throw stuff around the room; much friendly conversation and even competition. The biggest reason I deflect guilt from providing such an atmosphere for the 125+ youth coming here on a weekly basis is that I continue to receive overwhelmingly positive feedback from the parents--and sometimes, even the kids!--regarding the net gain from a membership such as this.

Despite the outward appearance of our adhering to Lionel Richie’s advice through his pop music hits some 18 years ago, the values of this program rise above the chaos. Similarly, I think the best thing to do in the next two months of the holiday season is to deliberately s-l-o-w d-o-w-n. Yes, like JUGHEADS, the unhealthful food, large group gatherings and friendly conversation marking the next 6-8 weeks seem chaotic and even repelling on the surface. However, the values behind such a season--at least, slowing down and enjoying the simplicity of friends and family; at most, exploring the foundations of faith and reassessing one’s life at the turn of the New Year--should rise above the noise.

That is why I’m trading business for time off over the holidays and the last six weeks of next summer. I’ll leave you with two quotes. One is from my former pastor: “Don’t let the tyranny of the urgent usurp the important.” We’ll always be “busy,” but sometimes, the “urgent” and the “important” need to be differentiated. The other quote hangs on my brother and sister-in-law’s refrigerator: “We must ruthlessly eliminate ‘hurry’ from our lives.” Ah, so hard to do in late November and all of December. But for those who take the time for mutually shared simple pleasures and joys, it can truly be “the most wonderful time of the year.”