Speed Walker

I am a fast walker. When I putter through the house, I'm always on a mission of some kind. I'm not programmed to aimlessly wander. Cars that drive too slowly or are obviously lost drive me nuts. Meetings that drag on without producing a specific to do list are the bane of my existence.

I am not what one would call a "patient person." Because of this tendency to speed walk my way through life, I tend to miss the scenery. My husband and daughter, however, are all about the scenery. Mike is forever pointing out various wildlife while we're driving, "Look, guys, an eagle!" or "Check out that full moon!" We're not house hunting or looking to move but Mike always wants to drive in a desultory fashion through neighborhoods to see what houses are for sale. When we traveled through Italy together, I relied on the map, and Mike preferred wandering the streets.

My daughter, Alex, frequently loses focus. If we're rushing to get to school on time, she'll pause in the driveway to gaze at the rainbow produced by an oil spill in the driveway. She takes forever to eat her meals in spite of my constant reminders to "take another bite" because she's so engrossed by the conversation or by the comic genius of her brother.

I'm always insisting that we go, that we hurry, that we speed up. The problem is, I'm missing out on the moments, on the small things that make life living in the first place. Mike and Alex remind me to slow down, to pause, to take in the scenery.

So, I'm working on being still. Being still is officially on my task list for this week.

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