White is the colour that trails fast things
Jets
Speed boats.
Wings of a bird
leave no tell tale signs
they lift and fly
almost silently.
Usually I move fast too
long strides
hustling feet
my mind already ten metres in front of me
at least.
But something happened to my ankle this week
And for two days
I limped
so slowly
I just couldn’t move any faster
there was too much pain.
The oddest thing happened.
I noticed
the world slowed to match my pace
and my heartbeat did not pound with haste
even my thinking murmured
instead of shouting.
So I have come to this conclusion
It could be wrong
But I hope it isn’t .
The world is not fast
As I often bemoan
I do not need IT to slow
Down
I just need to slow
Down
Myself
And move deliberately
Intently
Give myself a little more patience
Then the world will stop its whirlwind pace
the earth will unwind, and time will rise to meet me
*My father recalled working in “the old days”, there was always time to stop and rest the horses, light a fire, boil the billy (a sort of bush teapot) and make some lunch. There was always time, nothing was rushed.
By the time we kids came along, mustering was done on motorbikes. Machinery doesn’t need to rest. We took our lunch, sandwiches wrapped in newspaper, in the saddlebags.
Now, with all our technology, humans everywhere rarely stop for lunch. We work long hours and stand impatiently in front of appliances that cook our meals in minutes, or grab takeaway food that has dubious nutrition in it.
I don’t know exactly how I injured my ankle but I do know it was good for me. I hobbled about haltingly because I had to. I couldn’t run, could barely walk, but it allowed me to slow down to notice, as I wrote above, that this rush is something that stems from within. Out there, responds to “in here”.
It’s why my Dad, who had very sore knees and couldn’t walk without pain in the end, would watch me striding about and say “sit down for a minute, why the hell are you rushing?”
And I would think, well because I’m busy
But busy is just a hive of the mind. We can tip it out any time. Life will expand, grace will find us, because Grace does not rush, but it will come and find me if I slow down. Move with a little more attention to details.
And I’m going to try and remember this, as my ankle takes the load again, and my inclination to move more quickly settles in.
I’m going to try
to remember this
The world does not rush
We do.
Which means we can control time, especially our own, because time, is a concept that lives only in our mind.
Header photo, a cool relaxed surfer dude. In this photo it looks like he is speeding, creating a wake – but he isn’t, the wave is pushing him and he is utterly at peace. I watched him for quite awhile, he had mastery of his board, moving around with balance and poise.
*Note – I wrote this a couple of weeks ago, my ankle is recovered – mostly – I’m running again but trying to remember to be slow in the moment. The lesson is sticking with me because pain is a wonderful taskmaster. First, God throws pebbles.
