Take a deep breath.
Here is 1 creation, 1 quote, and 1 question to consider this week:
1 Creation From Me
“Life takes time” — a story
I recently caught up with my cousin after a “coincidental” butt dial led to a really nice chat.
(Side note: THERE ARE NO COINCIDENCES.)
He and I talked while I walked with my dog Lela to one of our favorite beachside coffee shops to do some writing—and yes, I said OUR favorite beachside coffee shops...
If Lela’s happy, I’m typically pretty happy too.
My cousin asked what I’d done that morning, and I said, “It doesn’t seem like a lot, but it was a full morning. I stretched and ate some breakfast, then beach time with Lela, meditation, a few other practices—and lots of fetch with Lela’s rubber ducky…of course.”
(Side note #2: Seeing a 7-pound Yorkie sprinting in and out of tide pools with a pink duck in her mouth—grinning and wagging her tail—is just about one of the most adorable things you could ever imagine. Talk about vibe-raising.)
I continued, “Then I went home for some lunch, listened to a Wayne Dyer lecture, and then grabbed Lela and headed back out...”
Then the following three words seemed to just pop out:
“Life takes time.”
Think about it, to truly enjoy life—from a conversation to a cup of coffee to a sunset—it takes time. We cannot live it on 2x speed, nor would we want to.
How often are we trying to get through everything as quickly as possible?
We chug the coffee to be more productive at work, and forget entirely that the point of work is to enjoy the coffee.
We race through meals, try to end conversations quickly—or avoid them altogether, and look at the most important things in life as obstacles to our productivity or, even worse, nuisances.
Life that is enjoyed takes time—the time to actually enjoy it.
But, here’s the kicker:
Life that is NOT enjoyed also TAKES TIME. It steals it every moment that you are lost in thought, rushing around on autopilot, angry, frustrated, blaming, complaining, gossiping, depressed, anxious, and so on...
After all, isn’t the point of it all to be able to slow down and actually enjoy a conversation, a cup of coffee, and a sunset?
Life takes time either way. So you may as well take the time to enjoy it.
Thanks for that butt dial, cuz ;)
1 Quote From Another
Philosopher, author, and speaker Alan Watts says that if we don’t enjoy life we will destroy life:
“Talking about utopia today is no longer a sort of wishful fantasy, it’s a grim necessity. There is no alternative except utopia to the direction which we are on presently, the direction of destruction. We’ve got to have the nerve…to stand up and say: yes, we’re going to enjoy ourselves as much as possible.”
Source: Lecture on January 10, 1968 at Longshoreman’s Hall, San Francisco
1 Question For You
What is ONE thing you can do today slowly, consciously and without trying to rush through it?
If this resonated, pass it along to someone who might need it today. Let’s grow this circle!
Until next time, freethinkers…stay present, be pleasant, and have an amazing day!
Mike Messeroff
Founder of The Carpe Diem Company + Personal Freedom Coach
Creator of Self-Hospitality
Author of Dogs Get It: Advice I learned from my best friend
