Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Slow Down, You Move Too Fast

Slow down, you move too fast, you've got to make the morning last
Just kickin' down the cobble-stones, lookin' for fun and feelin' groovy

Feeling groovy

Hello lamp-post, what's cha knowing, I've come to watch your flowers growin'
Ain't cha got no rhymes for me, do-it-do-do, feelin' groovy

Feeling groovy

I've got no deeds to do, no promises to keep
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me

Life I love you, all is groovy


Simon and Garfunkel, Feeling Groovy (59th Street Bridge Song)

Last Sunday as I was showering, this little ditty (familiar to a few of you, I am sure) just sort of popped into my head.    It's a well known fact that I do some of my best mulling and thinking when I am in the shower.     I had been thinking about the previous "Black Friday" and the aftermath of that day when thousands, yeah, even millions of Americans descended upon the malls and Big Box Stores across the land in search of the perfect gift, the best bargains and to mix and mingle with the rest of the hordes of shoppers.   I have been among that herd of bargain hunters in the past but of late have given any notion of shopping on Black Friday a quick "shoo and be gone with ye! "  

So whilst contemplating that, it occurred to me that we barely had the chance to finish off the leftovers from Thanksgiving and some of us have a few Halloween decorations still dangling from the ceiling.    I won't name names, but you know who you are!     These past few months have been a rush of days that blended into weeks and morphed into months.  It seems to be a blur of activity and rushing from one holiday or event to the next.     We don't even get the chance to download pictures from the camera to the computer before it's time to clear the memory card for the next event.  

Somehow, I really don't think that is the way it's supposed to be.    And being the cynical soul that I can be sometimes, I began to wonder why this seems to be way we live our lives these days.   Why is it that we can't just for once, slow down, really savor the moment and let time kind of stand still for a little while?    Are we lead around like sheep by the corporations who are more interested in selling us the latest electronic gadget or must have toy of the season than in whether the quality of our lives has been pushed aside for the sake of the almighty dollar?   You have to know something is out of whack in our lives when you walk into the store to buy something for your kids' Halloween party and they have pushed all that stuff into one corner of the store so they could start putting out the Christmas decorations and the piped in "It's a holly, jolly Christmas".     So we nearly skipped over Thanksgiving this year and gave Halloween a quick glance and it was over, too.    

It kind of makes me sad in a way that we've come to this place where no one is allowed to linger in the moment, to dawdle a while in the sheer joy of what is in front of you right that second.    I think of time spent recently with my son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren for our first camping trip in the new camper.    There was not one thing that we did that was spectacular or earth shattering in any way.   Yet, all of us, each and every one of us who was there expressed sadness that our time together was coming to a close.    It was all simple stuff.    Cooking on a grill.   Playing cards until late at night.    Going to the beach to collect shells and see the sun sparkling on the water.    It was all the things that make life worth living.     Time doing everyday things together.    Time laughing and listening to one another.    And a chance to savor those moments, let them linger just a little while before we had to pack up and head for home.   

So as we enter this holiday season, the time of decking our halls,  carolers singing of the reason for the things we do, parties and holiday gatherings and yes, even shopping, do yourself a favor and refuse to rush through it.    Don't be like the bride who was so busy greeting her guests and putting on a good show that she forgot to have fun at her own wedding or even eat any of the wedding cake.    Make a promise to yourself that you're going to slow down and not move quite so fast.    You really do need to make the moment last.    Some day in the future you're going to want to relive these moments and bring back all the great times and even the ordinary times of your life.  When you pull up those memories, make sure you have some good things to remember----not just a blur and whir and it's over.    Like that song says, in a term that has long since gone out of fashion,  Life I love you.....all is groovy.   

Happy Trails,

Marcia