Slowing Down My Life
by Adeline ~ January 23rd, 2012. Filed under: About Our Lives, General.
As January nears its end and I think back on the holidays, I’m amazed that they are a complete blur. They are always busy with family and friends. Before I know it they have passed, and I wonder how that happened, remembering the days when Christmas seemed to take forever to arrive and lingered as if there were nothing else to do but savor the days.
I don’t know if it is because there is just so much to do or that the focus is on so many things at once, but the blur that is now our celebrations makes me long for ways to slow down, even if it is just a little.
I found that thinking of New Year resolutions is a good way to start slowing down my life. Having more time isn’t going to happen unless I find a way to make the time myself by slowing down. I can think of two things that might work:
The first change is to plan ahead so that I don’t find myself rushing to get things done. A few years ago we gave a big Christmas party at the beginning of December. When the party was over, I was ready for the holidays to begin. It allowed for a more relaxed and leisurely holiday season to enjoy everything there was to do.
The second change is to mix up my routine. It could be skipping the news for the evening and sitting in a different area of my home to enjoy a conversation over a glass of wine, or it could be doing as I watched my grandparents do and taking out a deck of cards to play a few hands of gin rummy after dinner. Growing up, we played cards a lot. It was a fun way to spend time face-to-face. It always sparked our competitive streaks and led to animated conversations that would inevitably end in laughs and promises of a rematch.
Whatever it is I decide to change, just considering how I might alter my routine has made me aware of how I spend my time instead of just settling into my usual habits without much thought.
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January 25th, 2012 at 12:11 pm
Adeline, I think it’s simply a fact of life and getting older. I too remember as a child on Davenport Neck, summers lasted forever, and holidays always lasted longer than they do today. Think back to the US Airways plane that crashed into the Hudson, that was three years ago – it seems like last year, or maybe two years ago. Spending time with my grandchildren is fun, every minute, but days are long since you have to always be on guard and attentive to their care and needs. To children, days are longer. I read an article the other day, which I posted on FB about life today, it’s different now than it was on Davenport Neck. I remember riding bicycles with Diki, walking to New Rochelle, even taking the train to NYC to see The World of Henry Orient without a parent. It was my birthday, perhaps you came, I can’t remember, but I was only 13 at the time. Slowing down at our age is difficult, because we’re on the downside of our life expectancy and our years are limited – hate to say that, but it’s true. It’s so wonderful your mother is living and vibrant, wow, we do still have a of time, but there’s always so much we want to do. I try not to run for buses and subways in the city, there’s always another one behind it, but I still do, I’am always rushing. Hope this gets to you. Turi
January 25th, 2012 at 4:18 pm
I do agree Turi.
Since time doesn’t really speed up, but only our perception of it actually changes I think that trying to be aware of the present moment, instead of thinking of what’s next is part of the secret. As you say when you are with your grandchildren time seems to slow since you have to be aware of them at every moment. It’s intriguing!
Thanks for the thoughts.
January 26th, 2012 at 7:38 pm
I just saw your comment on the blog My Carolina Kitchen saying that you were born in France. So was I. I immigrated to the US after I finished school. I have dual citizenship. You have a nice blog. I’ll come back and look at your recipes, but it is almost dinner time, so I’m going to start with an apéritif of Pernod!
Do you still speak French? I cannot get rid of my accent, even after all those years in the US.
January 26th, 2012 at 7:58 pm
I am a French Citizen and still speak French fluently, but I do not have an accent. I was lucky enough to grow up traveling between the two countries and lost my accent along the way.
I haven’t had a chance to look at your blog yet, but I will.
Thanks for the visit, I hope you’ll come back.