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Today's
Meditation:
I
like racing. I like seeing how long it takes me to get
from one point to another over an established distance,
running against other people who are also going as fast as
their bodies--and their current ability level--allow them to
go. But I don't want my life to be that way.
When I race, I rarely notice my surroundings. It's
harder to breathe, so I'm not able to talk to the people
with whom I'm racing. I have to watch the road ahead
of me so that I can avoid obstacles and possible
injury. And I get tired, and necessarily
so. After all, that's the goal of racing--to push
yourself to your limits for a short period of time, which is
going to wear you out.
But
the racing stops when I'm off the course. I no longer
hurry when I'm going through my daily life, unless I happen
to be late from time to time. Over the years, I've
adopted and developed the habit of doing everything I can
early, so that I don't have to hurry and I can enjoy getting
where I need to go. If I have a three-hour drive, I
leave an hour early so that I can enjoy the ride and maybe
even stop somewhere nice for a walk or a cup of
coffee. If I have class at nine, I often go the a cafe
nearby at eight so that I have a chance to unwind and
relax--and maybe even review my plans--before I go there.
Hurry
so often is a choice, and it's one that we don't realize
that we're making. We think of just the destination
and time, and we don't put much thought into the journey
itself. But there's much to love in that
journey. In fact, if our destination in life is
ultimately death, then our entire lives are journeys towards
our final goal. And that's a journey that's well worth
experiencing to the fullest.
Let's
slow down. Let's meander a bit, and not worry about
being the first one somewhere. Let's take the time to
listen when others talk, and not try to hurry them through
what they're saying. Let's actually stop and smell
those roses, and not just give them a perfunctory sniff as
we pass by.
Life
is like a good meal--it's best to be enjoyed at a slow,
leisurely pace, relishing the flavors and the textures and
the sights. Sometimes, we must move more quickly than
at other times, but very often we have the choice to slow
down and enjoy less rather than speed up and pass by more.
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