What Did I Notice By Slowing Down?

Even though I firmly believe in living simply and staying curious, there are times, even seasons, when I tend to get swept up in the tasks at hand. Blog deadlines, client meetings, and sales calls can quickly absorb my time if I let them. 

But living simply and staying curious does not mean doing nothing. 

In fact, it’s participating in activities that engage us allows us the opportunity to live simply.

“What?” you may ask.

Let me explain.

Focus on the wonder around you.

There’s an old adage – with some variation – that says, “You give power to what you pay attention to.” If you focus on the negative, you’ll tend to see it everywhere (which is enough reason to limit your news intake). It’s not just in the case with world events, it happens to our bodies as well.  If you focus on the pain in your back, you’re likely to experience more pain in your back.

The reverse is also true. There’s power in being positive, being present, and looking in wonder. Focusing on the beauty of the world around you will lead you to uncover more beauty. If you look for kindness in others you tend to meet kinder people. 

See where this leads? 

Living simply doesn’t mean boring. You can be a skydiver and live simply. You can be a rock climber and live simply. 

It’s what you notice along the way; the quilt-like patterns of farmland while soaring through the sky or the patterns in the rock as you scale the next precipice. 

Or, it could be observations you make while journaling.

Curled bark of the Kentucky Coffee Tree

On Thursday, my wife planned a day for the two of us to go slowly. We started at a nearby wildlife management area, taking a slow walk through a neatly trimmed path. Along the way, we walked through a plantation of Kentucky Coffee trees. These trees grow from Minnesota south to Louisiana and east to New York and Connecticut, and into Canada in southern-western Ontario. These trees have dark grey bark with hard scaly ridges that curl outwards. Pods covered in a dark, hard, leathery husk hang from a stalk that remain on tree throughout winter. While the branches and leaves provide ideal nesting space for birds, the raw seeds are toxic and don’t benefit wildlife or humans. However, the seeds may be roasted and used as a substitute for coffee beans.

My passive wonder for the outdoors stems from childhood. Woodland walks were a staple in my young life, with frequent camping trips that included every lesson offered to young campers. Into my adult years, I got swept up in the busyness that was the dictate, while still taking occasional walks through conservation areas and local parks. But that has changed over the past few years.

I was familiar with the monarch caterpillar and all its striped familiarity as it feasted on milkweed. But while going slowly, I noticed a different caterpillar taking up space on a particular plant. I resembled a shaggy puppy in need of serious grooming. With bright orange, black, and white hairs, I was curious and wanted to know more. I learned that the milkweed plant is also host to the milkweed tussock caterpillar that later becomes a fairly nondescript moth. It never ceases to amuse me that a creature so vibrant develops into something so mundane-looking.

It was also on this day that my wife and I came across at least six painted turtles taking in the morning sun. While the older adult turtles floated with their heads above the water, we watched two smaller—presumably younger—turtles claw their way onto a log where they basked in the luxurious morning sun. Without a care in the world, they stopped. They lived simply. 

We go through our life with such a sense of pursuit, whether the next idea, the next pay cheque, or the next opportunity, and while these are noble, we often lose out on what’s simple. 

Today, I went back to the same place and walked with camera in hand. I once again stopped to admire the tree bark and many kinds of wildflowers. I was also blessed to capture a busy bumblebee, a blue dragonfly resting on grasses, and an eastern garter snake who seemed to be doing his morning rounds through the grass without any sense of hurry.

As I slowed down to take in these two mornings, I was aware of my own being. I heard the sounds around me of birds, crickets, frogs, and a choir of other creatures. I smelled the strength of the surrounding cedar. I noticed that I breathed slower and deeper. My heart rate slowed. I slowed.

Slowing down ushers in an appreciation of your surroundings. It allows your body to reconnect to the natural pulse of the earth. Rarely do we notice that we are surrounded by life, even when we get out of the city.

What did I notice by slowing down? I am peaceful. I am happy. I am connected to the world while being disconnected from the world.

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