slowing down

I've talked before about how, for me, it's the destination that matters, and the journey is something to speed through in order to get where you're going. Which is an odd point of view for someone who enjoys driving trips as much as I do - possibly that's because they force me to slow down and be present in the journey? At any rate, a couple of things have happened recently that are helping me to think about slowing down and being more present in the moment, instead of constantly being worried about getting to the next thing.

One was our recent move. The area that we live in now is heavily wooded, with a number of houses that contain that indefinable sense of mystery. Driving anywhere, I find I drive more slowly because I don't want to miss a glimpse of my favorite houses. This is pretty much true for the whole of Andover - there's no shortage of beautiful houses that could be the setting for any number of interesting tales.

The other thing is that an online group I belong to has recently begun an exercise challenge. Two teams of women, each challenged with spending as much time exercising in the week as possible. Now, I don't actually have the time or the inclination to exercise 2 or 3 hours a day, like some of the other moms, but I have found that the challenge (along with providing an extra impetus to get up and out of bed in the morning) has helped me to slow down my exercise routine, really taking the time to stretch, lift weights, and do other exercises the right way, instead of rushing through them.

The kids, of course, are also a reminder. Today my 2-year-old is cuddling with me on the couch ... next thing you know, she'll be asking me for the car keys. And while I cherish their ongoing growth and find that they become more interesting people as they learn more and experience more, I don't want to miss the process either.

There's my goal for the upcoming summer - continue learning to luxuriate in the moment.