Embracing the Slowdown

There are times in life when slowdowns are not perceived as good at all -- traffic, the wifi you pay for, the line at the fast food restaurant...and I'm sure you could come up with a few more! Anything that we feel ought to be a quick process that slows down tends to prove rather irksome. And yet, those obnoxious moments may be the very thing we need to reset ourselves. Maybe recenter a little bit, and reaffirm what truly is valuable.

I'm a person who has historically struggled to be on time, and while in the last year I've been learning the value of giving myself 10-15 extra minutes, I first learned a few years ago about the value of the slowdown on a day I was running late. Almost inevitably, on the days we're running the most behind and cutting it close, we face a slowdown at some point on our route. Maybe it's unaccounted-for construction, a red light that lasts too long, or getting behind a slow(er) driver. Some of the most memorable slowdowns for me happened during the years of my first teaching job in northern Wisconsin -- in our area, sometimes the slowdown was caused by finding yourself behind an Amish horse and buggy. On one such occasion, I recall very distinctly how much I had to slow my car down. I was rolling so slowly that I realized I could appreciate the sparkle of the winter frost on the tall grasses and brush on the side of the country road. The sun was pale but beautiful that morning, glistening off the snow. I needed to really see that, and drink it in. 

It's quite the picture of grace to me -- though my time management was off, and I was forced to slow down, I got to see something small but ever so meaningful and beautiful to me. I was reminded, in my hustly-bustly, career-driven, overly-demanding season of life that sometimes the slowdown is good. You see things -- truly see things -- that you would have otherwise been too busy or driven (literally)  to notice. And then you can remember to actually be thankful for them...and let the beauty touch your heart while you're waiting to be able to resume your faster pace. Even if there's still a place you're trying to get to (like work), you can arrive in a better state of mind and heart than you otherwise would have...whether late or punctual. Embracing the slowdown you can't control may, honestly, help you regain perspective and a sense of groundedness on the other end, having accepted, in a small way, that while you may not always be in control of your circumstances, you can take ownership of your response to such situations. Most of the time, you will come through okay and maybe even discover something valuable along the way. And, ideally, take the responsibility for planning for more time in your commute the next time around so that such slowdowns are not so stress-inducing!

Perhaps this is part of one of the greater lessons I've been learning over the last few years, which is to allow for the extra time you may be needing to embrace a slowdown if (and honestly when) one materializes. In my time management, that's definitely proven to be the case. In managing our household finances, even, I have found a similar concept: Plan and make space -- allowance -- for the inevitable. That mindset, which does not necessarily have to be urgent all the time, or on edge, but rather steady in practicality with an expectant eye to future, promotes peace in your heart and in your home hopefully as well. Build this habit wisely, even if it must be slowly, so that you can trust it to be of help to you, in whatever uncontrollable circumstances that may arise. Then, when the inevitables like the slowdowns come, you did what you could ahead of time, even if it was just a little at a time. You took ownership the best you could, with what you had to work with. You made space and allowance for the things you couldn't control...which, on the flipside, means you've hopefully made space to enjoy the little glories that they just might hold.

Dear reader, what's been passing you by in this season of your life? Are you in a mode of go-go-go? Or are you in a slower season? Are you at peace in your current state of being? Or do you feel like there are constant, incessant demands on you? (Does it depend on the day?) Do you have ways of making space right now, even if in small ways? Are you finding ways to carve out time to reconnect with the things that are precious and take care of your soul? If you are struggling, keep your chin up, my friend, and keep your eyes open for those little opportunities to embrace a slowdown. Take a breath, reconnect to what's true and important, and reset your mind and heart. You won't regret it, I promise. ~ CE