Otter and I ran a few errands this afternoon. We stayed off of the highway, we went all over our small town and the neighboring bigger town (the one we used to live in). We hit a couple of thrift stores with sucessful results, we went to Michael's but didn't find what I was looking for. We had a wonderful time. We went down a few streets that we have not been down since a few years before we moved, we drove past parks & places that we used to go when Otter was little and when we still lived at the old house. In each place, there were fun memories and we both enjoyed remembering. Otter even made the comment of how she was just enjoying the drive itself. I agreed with her.
It got me to thinking. I've been working on simplifying our life for the last few months. We've calmed things down considerably. It's been a good thing. I wonder, when did society's expectations of what is normal or the right thing to do, to cram our lives with something every second? There has to be an activity every day and the weekends have to be filled. We have to be on the go constantly. Everything has to mean something or be part of something, or just be busy. Rush, rush, rush. Busy, busy, busy.
When did it become strange or abnormal to relax? When did it become unusual or even wrong to live at a slower pace? I've often heard the phrase about marching to the beat of a different drummer or swimming upstream. Well, we are no longer marching to any drummer's beat except our own. As for swimming upstream, I'm no longer inclined to fight the current. Which does not mean that I am just going to "go with the flow", I'm not one to go along with anybody else just because it's easier and I certainly am not afraid of confrontation. But I'm thinking that simplification can and should apply to other areas besides recycling for example, and I think we'll be working on that now. In many ways, that is just my Texan independent streak showing. But I think it's time to slow down and see what happens.
Anybody care to join me?
1 comment:
I started slowing down and letting other people do more a few years back. I had no choice. A shattered ankle and having to stay off my feet for a few months made me look at things differently. I have also cleaned out a lot of stuff but there is always more to clean out.
I agree with you about slowing down and taking time to smell the flowers.
Froggy
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