By Amy Stonehill
A New Decade Challenge
In our fast-paced world, I sincerely doubt that anyone wakes up thinking, “Wow, I better be careful today or I might slip/trip/fall/get hurt”. And yet, this exact circumstance happens daily… to very unsuspecting, very busy people.
For me, it has to do with paying attention. I am a planner. I tend to be 3 steps ahead. I’ve always been this way. I’m already thinking ahead to what is next WHILE I am walking/driving, with the ‘assumption’ that everyone will just “do what they’re supposed to do” and I’ll just tootle on by and get to whatever it is that I am trying to do…
As life would have it, I have been caught in the freefall suspended moment in time on my way to the ground knowing, “Oh, this is gonna HURT!” more times than I would like to admit. In ponderingthe new decade, I came to the realization that perhaps slowing down – JUST A SMIDGE – might allow me to see that people/cars/stuff may not act the way I “assume” that they will.
I decided to experiment to see if I could actually DO it. So, here we are in February 2020. And do you know, I haven’t missed anything “important” – I actually have MORE time than I thought I had! AND, I’ve avoided slipping on wet pavement or tripping over curbs. I’ve actually caught myself looking up and enjoying the scenery rather than rushing by to ‘get there’. The funny thing is, I’ve found when I actually DO have something important, I still get there on time, unrushed, and – dare I say – happier? What a concept!
In our culture where ‘being busy’ is HIGHLY ESTEEMED, where getting things done ‘FASTER! BETTER! MORE EFFICIENTLY!’ has now become the standard, perhaps we may miss the downside: more injuries. One thing I know: WHEN (not if)you slip or trip or fall and are injured, you WILL HAVE TO SLOW DOWN. But WHAT IF we CHOSE to go against the flow and – dare I say CHOOSE to slow down – to notice our surroundings? David Cassidy’s final words of, “So much wasted time” kindled something deep in me that perhaps I WAS MISSING SOMETHING…
I would like to CHALLENGE YOU: Consider choosing to slow down. Who knows? Maybe you might find – as I have– that you not only avoid being injured because you saw something that you had time to avoid, but that this journey of life really is worth slowing down for.
A New Decade Challenge
In our fast-paced world, I sincerely doubt that anyone wakes up thinking, “Wow, I better be careful today or I might slip/trip/fall/get hurt”. And yet, this exact circumstance happens daily… to very unsuspecting, very busy people.
For me, it has to do with paying attention. I am a planner. I tend to be 3 steps ahead. I’ve always been this way. I’m already thinking ahead to what is next WHILE I am walking/driving, with the ‘assumption’ that everyone will just “do what they’re supposed to do” and I’ll just tootle on by and get to whatever it is that I am trying to do…
As life would have it, I have been caught in the freefall suspended moment in time on my way to the ground knowing, “Oh, this is gonna HURT!” more times than I would like to admit. In ponderingthe new decade, I came to the realization that perhaps slowing down – JUST A SMIDGE – might allow me to see that people/cars/stuff may not act the way I “assume” that they will.
I decided to experiment to see if I could actually DO it. So, here we are in February 2020. And do you know, I haven’t missed anything “important” – I actually have MORE time than I thought I had! AND, I’ve avoided slipping on wet pavement or tripping over curbs. I’ve actually caught myself looking up and enjoying the scenery rather than rushing by to ‘get there’. The funny thing is, I’ve found when I actually DO have something important, I still get there on time, unrushed, and – dare I say – happier? What a concept!
In our culture where ‘being busy’ is HIGHLY ESTEEMED, where getting things done ‘FASTER! BETTER! MORE EFFICIENTLY!’ has now become the standard, perhaps we may miss the downside: more injuries. One thing I know: WHEN (not if)you slip or trip or fall and are injured, you WILL HAVE TO SLOW DOWN. But WHAT IF we CHOSE to go against the flow and – dare I say CHOOSE to slow down – to notice our surroundings? David Cassidy’s final words of, “So much wasted time” kindled something deep in me that perhaps I WAS MISSING SOMETHING…
I would like to CHALLENGE YOU: Consider choosing to slow down. Who knows? Maybe you might find – as I have– that you not only avoid being injured because you saw something that you had time to avoid, but that this journey of life really is worth slowing down for.
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