Slow Motion America

I dream of a place where the turtle always wins, not just in nursery rhymes. A mysterious terrain plagued by dial up internet.  A mystical land where vehicle’s speeds never break thirty, for fear that the passengers inside them might miss something fleeting by.  A world where the expression “fast food” would not even exist because people would have everything better to do than eat food.  When they would eat, they would cook with care and savor tastes because they would recognize that flavor is a gift. I believe in a slow paced America.

            In my America, we would all realize that we were not shaped to control our surroundings.  Our DNA would be ridden with the desire to take a step back to watch, learn, and relax.  We would finally come to the conclusion that we were created to let go, and to let things happen.  The futile attempts to cheat this system would no longer occur.    

Putting others first and having compassion would not be a burden or a guilt trip, it would be simply nature.  Relaxation, bonding, and believing replace greed, thirst for power, and a need for conflict on our list of priorities. When we felt that we needed to strive for these things our response would be, “Only if I have time today,” like it is with those values lower on our priority lists now. 

In this magical world filled with prancing unicorns and cotton candy clouds elderly folk wouldn’t waste their golden years in rocking chairs, festering in the regrets of achievements they didn’t have time to accomplish when they were young.  They would not rot away from our memories and all existence, mourning for their lost life that was washed out with all the bustling from place to place instead of spending time with family, or doing something good for the world. This would not be us.  This would not be us because we would take the time to go visit Spain, learn how to surf, or just attend one of our children’s soccer games.  This would not be us because we would slow down to experience life.  We would develop into true human beings, not just the human doings we have become.

Sadly, this fantasy of mine remains a dream.  As much as I try to incorporate this lifestyle into my every day existence I always seem to get swept up by the traffic flow, or the latest fashion trend and I wonder where my values go.  I thank God that I still have the ability to look forward to each and every night, when my head starts to nod, and eyelids start to close, and I drift back into that miraculous wonderland where I can really, truly live.

1. Angie Says:
   August 16th, 2010 at 2:39 pm

   Great story! So true. If only everyone would take that step back to view the things that are truly important (family, friends, and good heatlh), the world would be a much better, safer, and happier place!

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