I watch TV on Hulu, and lately, there’s been a commercial that rubs me the wrong way.

It’s an ad for One Kings Lane.  The tagline is “Design is Never Done,” and to show the concept, they take us on a 30-second trip through one family’s design process.  We see the family grow and the decor change.

When I watch this commercial, I get a tightness in my chest and a distinct sense of unrest.  I find myself wanting to plead to those on screen, “Stop!  Just stop!”

There is constant movement, and I realize that this is something that is supposed to appeal to a consumer culture, but it does not appeal to me.  Not in the least.

There’s a beauty in stopping the motion.  A Hebrew poem uses the phrase, “Be still and know.”

As we enter into Christmas, when the pace of life all around us picks up, let’s do this together.  Let’s be still and know.

Know that there is more to life than acquiring.

Know that there is more to holidays than too many commitments.

Know that there is something profoundly more than anything excessive consumerism can offer.

 

-Sarah