Slow Down, You Move to Fast

Wasn't it just yesterday that being fast was the desirable speed of operation? One was to go as fast as possible, doing as much as possible, while doing other things with the same break neck speed. It's exhausting. Sometimes we get loads of things done, sometimes we don't--but we're speedy and to all the world it looks like we are very important and productive.

Here and there, we are starting to realize that speed isn't always a good thing. Just like when you're driving quickly, you miss an awful lot on the way. Once you decelerate, you see all sorts of things around you that had been eclipsed by speed.

In meditation, we learn the value of being still. One basks in the presence of the now, the senses are more fully engaged. With that sacred slowing down there is a corresponding fullness in our experience of living.

The slow food movement, encourages us to make a deeper investment in our food.  This investment begins with seeds that aren't genetically modified, to treating animals in a humane manner using non toxic means of raising them. It is growing food locally, in non artificial means. It's sitting down, gathering with others to fully taste, completely smelling and totally savoring and appreciating all that has gone into the effort of creating a meal. It is not snarfing a burger through the drive thru, while driving, talking on the phone and putting on mascara all while driving 70 miles an hour to get ten other errands completed.

While shopping on Etsy, my favorite place to window shop and explore -- I discovered a category I was not familiar with -- slow stitching.  Being a terrible seamstress anyway, I wondered how I could get any slower. But I was intrigued.

Slow stitching is taking one's time in creating out of the box pieces of art.  I bought a little kit and was delighted to play with my little collage of fabric swatches, bits of lace and thread. It was interesting, in that I had to repeatedly remind myself to slow down, and just enjoy the act of creating. There's no way to do it wrong -- except if you just don't enjoy it, I guess.

I stitched, switched colors, added buttons, and delighted in the creative process until I decided my little creation was done.  The project gave me permission to take my time, to create with no expectations or deadline and to completely embrace the healing, celebrating world of play.

Creative play, in the guise of Slow Stitching is something I should learn to do often.