The Importance of Pauses

Read the following:

imnotsureifyouregoingtobeabletomakesenseofthisparag
raphbutatleastyoumightgi veitatryiusedthisactivitythis
weektoillustratealessononsi mplifyingandfocusinghoww
euseourtimewithoutcapitallettersorpunctuationhowever
thisparagraphwillmakelitt lesenseitneedscapitalizations
pacesbetweenwordsandpar agraphscommasperiodsan
dotherpunctuationforittobecomereadable

I suspect the paragraph above will seem difficult to read and decipher. It maybe confusing, too. If, however, I insert the necessary spaces between the words, add correct punctuation, and capitalize letters as needed, the paragraph becomes readable.

Now try it:

I'm not sure if you're going to be able to make sense of this paragraph but at least you might give it a try. I used this activity this week to illustrate a lesson on simplifying and focusing how we use our time. Without capital letters or punctuation, however, this paragraph will make little sense; it needs capitalization, spaces between words and paragraphs, commas, periods, and other punctuation for it to become readable.

What a difference a few pauses make!

We need pauses (spaces and punctuation) and priorities (capitalization) to help us make sense of our lives. Do we bother to pause to think about what we're doing and how we're using our time? Do we take time to prioritize? When we do, instead of living lives that feel like endless streams of activities and demands, we end up with lives that flow like words of a well-written paragraph.

A punctuated life makes more sense. It's easier to follow and understand. It's easier to live.

Won't you take time this week to pause and prioritize? You'll feel refreshed and refocused if you do.

Blessings,
Joan