The art of slowing down

 

As the rain falls in Crowsnest Pass during our first full day off in memory, I am realizing that I am much better at staying busy than I am at slowing down.  I am absolutely awful at stopping completely.

I am a creature of habit.  I get up at roughly the same time every day of the week, usually between 6 and 6:15.  After making coffee, I am out in the studio no later than 6:30.  I get quite a bit done in the first 90 minutes of the day while enjoying my two cups of coffee.

I never set an alarm clock, but I do glance over at my digital clock multiple times starting about 5 am.  Without that time reference, I am a little lost.  The bedroom we are using in the Crowsnest Pass does not have a clock.  I had no idea what time it was as I struggled to sleep through the night.  By the time I got up, I discovered it was 7:30.  However, with nothing to do, short of taking Coco for a walk, there was no pressing reason to get me out of bed earlier.

As Coco and I walked in the rain to start the day, I thought about the fact that very few days in this pandemic year have been spent away from home.  Travelling and the disruption of routine have become foreign to me.  

I often think of Peter Frampton’s comment about great output needing great input.  Slowing down and breaking routine is a great way to invite input.  We will spend the day walking in the rain, enjoying the historic Crowsnest Pass, reading, and being still.