Don't look to the skies, to the sun or the moon or the stars, all the heavenly bodies, and be led astray, worshipping and serving them. The LORD your God has granted these things to all the nations who live under heaven. Deuteronomy 4:19

By 1969, George Harrison had pretty much come to the conclusion that being famous and wealthy was often much more trouble that it was worth. He was trapped by his notoriety and could not make a move in public without being constantly hounded by the press and fans. The one thing he loved to do, make music, was now compromised by the size, scope, and demands of The Beatles’ business worldwide empire. He was expected to be in the office every day, keeping regular hours studying new deals, working with clients, reading contracts, and meeting with employees. As he gave more and more of himself to his career, he longed for days without demands that were filled with sunshine rather than cold rain and gray skies. One afternoon, when he had all he could stand, Harrison played hooky and went to visit his friend Eric Clapton. As luck would have it, the sun came out and the temperatures warmed enough for Harrison to take a guitar outside and walk around the garden. Forgetting about his demands and obligations, he again felt like a carefree child. And with that fresh viewpoint, he was inspired to write “Here Comes the Sun.” The next day, as he shared his new composition with his staff, his office duties didn’t seem nearly as foreboding.

Many of us can identify with George Harrison. While we may not be dealing with fame or fortune, things are constantly pulling at us. We are trapped by our work schedules, the demands of family and friends, and the obligations in our home. As one tough day becomes another and another, we can be pulled into darkness and depression. We begin to wonder if life is really worth the price we are paying to live it. So like Harrison did almost five decades ago, at times we must step away, take a breath, and look around us. It is when we slow down that we can listen to the world’s wonderful sounds rather than manmade noise, the kind words of friends and family, and the soft directives and assurance given by God.

George Harrison waited until he was at wit’s end to get away from his troubles; you should not let the pressures of life push you that far. You need to find a time each day when you do something you love. Even if it is only for five minutes, you need to play your favorite music, sing a song, read a few pages of a book, take a walk, or just sit out and enjoy the scenes going on around us. You can claim your piece of the sun in your home, on a park bench, at the beach, or walking the dog, but that small gift you give to yourself will help put everything else into perspective. Suddenly you will know what is important as well as what you can do without. You will also likely find that in that quiet time when you embrace a childlike spirit, you will hear God as well.