Never having heard of the medical procedure before today, I quickly researched “cardioversion” since my father is having this done. With his heart beating irregularly in a strange rhythm of atrial fibrillation (AFib) for years, the fatigue, weakness and dizziness had finally taken a toll on the man who I have never known to “take a knee” or choose to sit out. My dad has always been the kind of guy who is the first to step up and help out a neighbor, and even as an adult, I remember him like that kid who would excitedly bounce on the sidelines, yelling, “Put me in the game, coach!”
In an attempt to correct the beating of his heart that has landed on an irregular, erratic, unorganized and inconsistent rhythm in its attempt to pump blood throughout his body and keep him alive, they are giving him medication and electrical shocks to back realign his heartbeat back to the way it was when he was born. Instead of beating with a solid “lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub” like the beat of a practiced drummer in his chest, he has been experiencing in his chest something like the chaos of a group of unpracticed elementary students all beating to different beats on their new drums. I can’t imagine feeling that kind of inconsistent chaos in my chest, or being an elementary music teacher who hands out drum sticks to the class on any given day. (Kudos to patient teachers and parents of young ones who spend their days guiding children to finding a regular rhythm in a noisy and chaotic world!)
Just as quiet time allows us to slow down, think, and recharge, my prayer is that my dad’s new rhythm of his heart will allow him to find peace and solace away from the disorganized chaos of his AFib. His ability to live life as actively as his mind wants him to and to jump in and help others like his compassionate heart desires will be much improved with a heart that knows how to beat at a regular pulse.
Chaos and disorder is one of those things that can seem exciting once in awhile, but if we’re not careful, we can become so used to the extra excitement that we don’t remember what it was like to live without it. Sometimes we even create our own chaos if things start to feel too quiet or simple because it seems that’s what the rest of the world expects from us. But what if the whole world is operating in a constant state of AFib, and most of us have forgotten that we were created to have a regular, rhythmic beat of our heart in order to have the best lives we could have? What if instead of merely existing amidst the constant distractions of media and noise, we were called to truly live to our fullest with the simple accompaniment of our heartbeat… lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub?
Fortunately for most of us, we don’t need a chemical or electrical shock to experience a regular rhythm again. We can simply make a conscious choice to slow down, be deliberate, be discerning in what we fill our days with, and we can immediately reap the rewards of a rhythm that was determined since before we were born.
If you need a shock to get you back into a consistent rhythm, then let these words resonate with you: Don’t let the chaos, distractions and noise distract you from living your best life. Turn off the television, lay your phone down, and walk outside. If you live in a “concrete jungle,” go to a park or into the country. Listen to the rain, hear the animals and insects communicating, watch the birds flying, and feel the beating of your heart inside your chest. You were specifically created as a completely unique individual, so don’t let your gifts, talents and compassionate heart get lost in all the noise of this world. You have this one life on earth, don’t waste a single moment.