Life in the Slow Lane

Today marks the winter solstice, the shortest day of our year.

Tomorrow there is a full moon, a symbol that

never ceases to make me pause and ponder

the wonders around us.

It is time to slow way down, take our cues from nature...

No doubt you have guessed this blog is a long way from being about an art technique.  Except that it can be, you decide.

All my life I have moved at breakneck speed: so much to do and learn and so little time in one life.  I could multitask, work with both hands and get in and out of a meeting in record time.  This speed translated to other parts of my life like rapid fire speech, a desire not to "waste" time and a heightened impatience with those that didn't run the same track.  Shame on me.

Lately I have been moving in the slow lane.  Forced there by elective surgery, I am anticipating more of the same.  It takes forever to get out of the car and cross the lot to the mall entrance.  I can't get to the doorbell (or the phone) rapidly and I have lots of time to sit idle in strange places since my schedule is not always in my hands.  And I find that pain causes one to be very cranky. So?

So the view is completely different here.  Totally different.

Slow movers have time to catch the eye of strangers who smile and nod in kindness.  I've had pleasant exchanges with folks in line who were apologizing for holding me up (holding ME up?) and I've come to admire those other slow moving folks who are at least making the effort to get out and about.  God love them.

I've had time to sit and watch the snow...really watch it and to wonder how the trees feel and where the birds are and to see those heros who come out in the worst of times ready to plow the roads.  When I can push the cranky aside I try to appreciate the forced slow down and embrace the lessons I should/could be gleaning from this experience.

So art?  Yes, it has made me think a lot about slowing down the art...taking more time to decide what to paint, why to paint it and then not to be in such a hurry to execute.  I'm not a production center, my next meal thankfully does not depend on my next sale.  Moving slowly has revealed new nuggets of pleasure, maybe painting slowly will deliver its own surprises. We will see.

Enjoy your solstice.  The light will be longer tomorrow, just a little more each day until we can hardly remember this cocoon-like darkness.
Embrace your holiday traditions, share the joy....but as an experiment, even if just for a day (or a week) move on over to the slow lane.  Intentionally walk slowly. Turn off the blinkers and move at a different pace.  You may be as surprised as I am.

Merry Christmas,

Cindy