The Art of Slowing Down

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

When I was a teenager the movie, Dead Poet’s Society debuted. It was a hit and one of my all time favorite movies. If you have seen it then you know the famous line, “Carpe diem. Seize the day, gather ye rosebuds while ye may.” Robin Williams’ character explains how before we know it we will die so make your life count.

It seems that carpe diem smacks stop and smell the roses in the face. As of late, I’ve been doing a whole lot more of stopping and smelling the roses than I have been seizing the day. How about you? Has this pandemic thing put a halt to some of your plans?

Moving slower seems to be my new normal and I can’t help but wonder if slower is how God originally created me to be. Did He create me to move at a slower pace? To actually stop and smell the roses?

This past Saturday a few things happened that made me start to think like this. First, on my morning walk I encountered a humming bird. It was hovering about 10 feet over the sidewalk in front of me and was looking right at me. Pre-pandemic Louise might have just walked right past it. Mid-pandemic Louise stopped and watched this bird bob up and down from 6 feet to 10 feet above the sidewalk. I had a quick thought of, “Don’t stop, you’re breaking the pace of walking. Stopping is not exercising.” But as quickly as I had that thought, I brushed it away like an irritating fly. This holy moment was a gift and I wanted to embrace it.

I stood there frozen, completely captivated by this humming bird. After about 30 seconds, which seems like a long time for me to have a moment with a bird, she flew away. Remaining still, I watched her fly into a bush and all I wanted was for her to return. She was gone and so I continued walking. But it stuck with me as I’m telling you about it now.

I returned home, did a few chores, and set out to meet a friend at Chick-fil-a. After a trip through the drive-through, we ate our breakfast in the car. We had planned a day trip out of the heat of the valley and into the cool mountains of northern Arizona. Along the way, I explained how my radio has been broken for a year.

As I began to explain about my broken radio, I had my second aha moment. I think having a broken radio has given me greater freedom. Allow me to explain. I no longer know what time it is. Because I can’t keep track of the time, I am driving slower, the speed limit to be exact. When I can’t tell if I’m running late, I’m more relaxed. I arrive at my destination calm and peaceful.

Once we were out of the heat, we opened the windows in the car and drove smelling the pines with the wind in our faces. Oh, the joy of cool weather! Just as we were ready for a picnic lunch, it began to rain. Like two school girls, we giggled and ate our lunch in the car. On cue, the rain stopped when we finished eating and we set out on a hike.

People we encountered seemed extra friendly. The view was majestic along the rim. I kept whispering small prayers of thanksgiving to the Lord. Just as my car was back in sight the rain began again. We grabbed a sweet treat and listened to the rain hit the car.

I’m not sure if this pandemic had never happened if I would be able to stop on a morning walk or even notice a humming bird for that matter. Or laughed about eating two meals in the car. Or paid any attention to the friendliness of the fellow hikers. Or would have ever been grateful for the broken radio.

It’s really that broken radio that inspired me to write this post. Is there something in your life that is broken or missing? Quite possibly it’s a blessing. Could it be that for all of us, being forced to slow down has been a blessing? Could this pandemic actually be a blessing? I recognize that losing a loved one is not a blessing. Please hear my heart in this.

Could being forced to stay home and slow down be the thing the doctor ordered for you? Today, look around at the change that has happened in your life since mid-March. Take inventory of your life situation, decisions you’ve had to make, and compare them to your pre-pandemic self. When this is over, will you be a better version of yourself? That’s my hope for you and me.

I’m quite content with this slower pace and I’m fairly certain that I will work to keep a slower pace as my new normal. I’m hopeful as I continue to slow down, I will begin to notice even more things that I have missed. Join me in slowing down. It’s an art and one worth practicing.

The verse for today’s devotional is “Be still and know that I am God.” Knowing God starts with being still. Friends, take time to be still. To stop on a walk. To laugh with a good friend. To stop hurrying to get to the next thing. Just be still.