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April 18, 2005
Slowing Down
I have never been good at sitting still. I excel at procrastinating, daydreaming and, in a newfound achievement, sleeping, but being motionless has never been a talent. In the past, sitting on a blanket in the park with nothing but a newspaper would bring forth almost agonizing anxiety. My Almost Husband displays similar traits.
Last summer, I overcame the antsy-ness. Having taken all Fridays off, I set off on the personal journey of learning how to relax. I took music and a book. I went for a long run first. I forced myself to sit in the sun without moving. Suddenly, much sooner than expected, I began to enjoy it.
Slowing down is difficult. It means coming to terms with the fact that your goals are often lofty, that your concept of time is skewed, and that, no matter how much you want to get everything done perfectly, it probably will not happen.
Slowing down means giving in to your most natural urges-- to fit in with the rhythms of the day, to feel the sun and the breeze and not be concerned with the anxieties of modern life. It is hard work, this slowing down, but boy...boy is it worth it.
Posted by callalillie at April 18, 2005 8:56 AM | City Life , Introspect
I know what you mean. Saturday I got up to go over into the shop, prepared with my clipboard and tape measure to make some sawdust, but as soon as I stepped out the back door and into the rare April sunlight in Seattle I decided to can it. I still wasn't able to just sit tho'. I ended up cleaning out the winter muck in the fish pond and getting the pump back in working order, but it was a bit slower. Even managed to sit for a few minutes in the sun and swirl my hands in the water while watching the goldfish. Then a chickadee chided me for sitting there instead of getting his bird bath going.
Posted by: Gregg at April 18, 2005 10:25 AM
where did the hair go??
at least the chops kind of remain.
Posted by: tien at April 18, 2005 10:30 AM
The hair was becoming too much for sweaty lex. It is a annual ritual. Of course, now my ears are sunburnt.
Posted by: alexis at April 18, 2005 10:51 AM
One of my favorite essays, which I still struggle to actually incorporate into my life, is from Ellen Goodman in 1988. She said:
"In front of me, the sides of an orchid-like wild flower open and close in the breeze like some cartoon mouth from a disney character...I remember the line that accompanied that lush exhibit of Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings last winter. She wrote once: "still - in a way - nobody sees a flower - really it is so small - we haven't time - and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time."
Posted by: Mark at April 18, 2005 11:11 AM
Love the haircut, you two are just yummy.
Posted by: Uma Andersson at April 18, 2005 12:11 PM
Posted by: Sonia at April 18, 2005 2:42 PM
Take care of those calluses, lex :)
Posted by: citycrab at April 18, 2005 3:56 PM
strange that your ears got burnt because i SLATHERED them in sunscreen.
Posted by: corie at April 18, 2005 4:57 PM
Sometimes if you slow down to long its hard to speed up again.
Posted by: William at April 19, 2005 4:14 PM
One of my favourite quotes that applies in this case - "An idler and a sluggard are as different as a gourmand and a glutton" ;)
Posted by: discostu at April 20, 2005 6:59 PM
