This was such a beautiful reflection on slowness. I am finding myself being forced to become slower because of circumstances beyond my control, and I am grateful for having room to breathe after so many years of chasing my own tail!
Hi Isabelle! I'm glad that maybe circumstances are "helping" you slow down and breathe. Sometimes it takes that, right? To make us stop the tail-chasing we get so caught up in. Blessings to you....
Thank you for this ode to slow. Agreed, the world around us is moving at a breakneck speed. It is stressful and I insulate myself as much as I possibly can. Loved reading of Bapa and Jon.
Fast paced living is like taking a jackhammer to our central nervous system. It can go on only for so long until a fractured mind, body and soul fall apart. The lucky ones finally slow down enough find green grassy meadows and forests, formed after ancient ice slowly gave way. At the fringes raging rivers smoothed jagged boulders into soft pebbles resting now under gentler rushing creeks. Glorious green shade trees, massive trunks held fast by thick roots clenching the soil —preceded through the ages by generations of trees that began as mere seeds and twigs. Pathways into and across sprawling landscapes first carved by hooves of migrating herds helped find where survival was assured. Our ancestors were smart to follow them. Our modern highways, V8 engines, jet powered airplanes and such, built to accommodate our fast paced lives, symbolize our disconnect from the natural world. The sun and moon were once the only guidance needed, for any and all creatures, to measure time.
Mark, this is lovely. I read it yesterday and needed some time to digest it before coming back to read it again. You need to develop this into an essay! It's an incredible depiction of the Earth, and all its myriad forms of life, evolving into more and more speed. Very evocative!
Thank you for your kind encouraging words, Jeanne. Old trails are a fascination. The Santa Fe trail crosses our area north of town where we're living now. We lived in Nebraska and Wyoming, along the shores of the Platte River's portions of the Oregon Trail. I've been working on a draft for an essay that I hope will be ready for Janisse Ray's Flash Essay workshop (next Saturday).
Jeanne, I loved reading about Bapa, Jon, and slowing down. My grandpa woke at dawn to sit in front of a picture window and watch the rabbits. That was, indeed, a different time. Your writing is beautiful. I look forward to reading about your native garden. I grow Liatris, too!
Yay for Liatris, Cathy, and yay for grandpas who are not in a hurry. I love that image of yours doing his "morning meditation" with the rabbits. So sweet!
For me it was betting on myself that brought a degree of separation from the mad world. Somewhat as I think your life, is doing now for you Jeanne. You are betting on yourself. And I applaud how you are doing it. For my first 20 - 30 years on old mother earth, I was following a path though I did not see it. I did many types of work and met many types of people that taught me many things but were not really fulfilling. Then I saw an opportunity to create a business for my skills that was needed and that I enjoyed doing, I took the plunge and have been thankful ever since. I am grateful to have lived in a country where I have been able to do this. So I do speak up for the freedoms and rights that I have had. And I speak up for our planet and nature and the arts and kindness to one another. I turn off Breaking News much in the way I learned to turn off the old soap operas when I finally woke-up to the fact that I could catch-up with whatever happened later. Watching myself control my curiosity is now a favorite pastime. And it usually has little to do with popular tv or even popular books. Substack has been doing a pretty good job of keeping me happy.
Fascinating progression in your life, Sandy! Thank you for sharing that. If betting on yourself brought you to a point where you could clearly speak up for our planet and nature and the arts and kindness to one another, then it sounds like you found the right path, for sure.
I have been trying to follow this idea of slowing down and enjoying things in the present moment as well Jeanne. I find the Nature encounters on my hikes are of much more memorable and symbolic. It has been such a pleasant change of pace.
That recipe from Jon looks really good for pickles - especially the idea of using grape leaves or horseradish, orka, or black tea leaves. - very interesting idea.
My wife has been making kimchi for most of her adult life and definitely appreciates that slow process of pickling/fermentation of foods!
I need it to slow down too. When I saw the first notification last week I immediately turned off my devices and (mostly) avoided the news for several days. Just as I did for the week after the debate. I knew I’d just be flooded with opinions and sensationalism and nothing good was going to come of me reading all that. Of course, I can avoid reading it, but someone is going to bring it up. Usually my dad on my daily calls with him, lol. Still, less more.
P.S. I think you've already mastered slow ... in how you walk to the lake every day and take the time to watch, observe, record. I am so inspired by that!
Lol, I typoed that, I meant to write "Less is More". I do slow pretty well until about 8:30 or 9 AM. After that it is such a struggle, especially on work days.
My granny taught me to slow down with fishing. All the menfolk in my family spent their time in the river in a boat with a motor, but Granny would drive her old Subaru anywhere she wanted to fish and then sit quietly on the bank with a fishing pole waiting and watching for her cork to bob. I'm trying to get back to more of that.
The weekend is my slow down time. Everything during the week is too rush, rush for me.
You'd think that the older a person gets, the slower their lives would become. But time continues to fly by.
Yes ... the irony. It feels slow and fast at the same time.
This was such a beautiful reflection on slowness. I am finding myself being forced to become slower because of circumstances beyond my control, and I am grateful for having room to breathe after so many years of chasing my own tail!
Hi Isabelle! I'm glad that maybe circumstances are "helping" you slow down and breathe. Sometimes it takes that, right? To make us stop the tail-chasing we get so caught up in. Blessings to you....
Thank you for this ode to slow. Agreed, the world around us is moving at a breakneck speed. It is stressful and I insulate myself as much as I possibly can. Loved reading of Bapa and Jon.
"ode to slow" -- I love that, Jenny!
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I make similar fridge pickles, but I haven't tried the ACV or peppercorns. Next batch!
Let me know how they turn out, Rebecca!
Fast paced living is like taking a jackhammer to our central nervous system. It can go on only for so long until a fractured mind, body and soul fall apart. The lucky ones finally slow down enough find green grassy meadows and forests, formed after ancient ice slowly gave way. At the fringes raging rivers smoothed jagged boulders into soft pebbles resting now under gentler rushing creeks. Glorious green shade trees, massive trunks held fast by thick roots clenching the soil —preceded through the ages by generations of trees that began as mere seeds and twigs. Pathways into and across sprawling landscapes first carved by hooves of migrating herds helped find where survival was assured. Our ancestors were smart to follow them. Our modern highways, V8 engines, jet powered airplanes and such, built to accommodate our fast paced lives, symbolize our disconnect from the natural world. The sun and moon were once the only guidance needed, for any and all creatures, to measure time.
Mark, this is lovely. I read it yesterday and needed some time to digest it before coming back to read it again. You need to develop this into an essay! It's an incredible depiction of the Earth, and all its myriad forms of life, evolving into more and more speed. Very evocative!
Thank you for your kind encouraging words, Jeanne. Old trails are a fascination. The Santa Fe trail crosses our area north of town where we're living now. We lived in Nebraska and Wyoming, along the shores of the Platte River's portions of the Oregon Trail. I've been working on a draft for an essay that I hope will be ready for Janisse Ray's Flash Essay workshop (next Saturday).
Write on!!
Jeanne, I loved reading about Bapa, Jon, and slowing down. My grandpa woke at dawn to sit in front of a picture window and watch the rabbits. That was, indeed, a different time. Your writing is beautiful. I look forward to reading about your native garden. I grow Liatris, too!
Yay for Liatris, Cathy, and yay for grandpas who are not in a hurry. I love that image of yours doing his "morning meditation" with the rabbits. So sweet!
Yes, precious memories.
For me it was betting on myself that brought a degree of separation from the mad world. Somewhat as I think your life, is doing now for you Jeanne. You are betting on yourself. And I applaud how you are doing it. For my first 20 - 30 years on old mother earth, I was following a path though I did not see it. I did many types of work and met many types of people that taught me many things but were not really fulfilling. Then I saw an opportunity to create a business for my skills that was needed and that I enjoyed doing, I took the plunge and have been thankful ever since. I am grateful to have lived in a country where I have been able to do this. So I do speak up for the freedoms and rights that I have had. And I speak up for our planet and nature and the arts and kindness to one another. I turn off Breaking News much in the way I learned to turn off the old soap operas when I finally woke-up to the fact that I could catch-up with whatever happened later. Watching myself control my curiosity is now a favorite pastime. And it usually has little to do with popular tv or even popular books. Substack has been doing a pretty good job of keeping me happy.
Fascinating progression in your life, Sandy! Thank you for sharing that. If betting on yourself brought you to a point where you could clearly speak up for our planet and nature and the arts and kindness to one another, then it sounds like you found the right path, for sure.
I have been trying to follow this idea of slowing down and enjoying things in the present moment as well Jeanne. I find the Nature encounters on my hikes are of much more memorable and symbolic. It has been such a pleasant change of pace.
That recipe from Jon looks really good for pickles - especially the idea of using grape leaves or horseradish, orka, or black tea leaves. - very interesting idea.
My wife has been making kimchi for most of her adult life and definitely appreciates that slow process of pickling/fermentation of foods!
Kimchi - yay! Sounds like the lifestyle at your house is slow AND healthy, Neil. Well done!
I need it to slow down too. When I saw the first notification last week I immediately turned off my devices and (mostly) avoided the news for several days. Just as I did for the week after the debate. I knew I’d just be flooded with opinions and sensationalism and nothing good was going to come of me reading all that. Of course, I can avoid reading it, but someone is going to bring it up. Usually my dad on my daily calls with him, lol. Still, less more.
"Less more" sounds like a wise policy , Karen -- in general, but especially now.
P.S. I think you've already mastered slow ... in how you walk to the lake every day and take the time to watch, observe, record. I am so inspired by that!
Lol, I typoed that, I meant to write "Less is More". I do slow pretty well until about 8:30 or 9 AM. After that it is such a struggle, especially on work days.
Love the picture of you and Bapa, by the way. He just radiates kindness.
He WAS so kind, and so patient. It cemented a model in my mind of what makes a good man.
Oh, I love slow! I tend to race from thing to thing, but now that I am in my lane, I want time to slow down to a creep.
Sounds like a good plan, Mary! Congrats on being in your lane, where you can go any speed you want -- even a creep. I love that!
Slow is definitely good, but harder to find these days.
Ain't it the truth?!
My granny taught me to slow down with fishing. All the menfolk in my family spent their time in the river in a boat with a motor, but Granny would drive her old Subaru anywhere she wanted to fish and then sit quietly on the bank with a fishing pole waiting and watching for her cork to bob. I'm trying to get back to more of that.
The weekend is my slow down time. Everything during the week is too rush, rush for me.