Slow Us Down

Slow us down.

Life has become hectic again. There is too much that we have to do, and so much that we want to do, and the holidays have added on more activities. We want to step away from the tasks and deadlines for a moment and just breathe.

 

May we slow down, be patient, and let our tea steep long enough.

 

We want to feel grounded again and surprised in simple ways. We want to listen to the voices of nature, and speak from the solitude of our hearts in our interactions with others. We don’t want to bounce through every day like a marble in a pinball machine. What we need lies underneath the glitter and tinsel.

 

May we slow down and saunter through the woods and along the river. 

 

We have to be patient and wait for the season to reveal, in its own time, what it will be. We cannot force answers to come. We cannot demand that peace descend. We cannot make joy return to our life if we are not open to receiving it. And if we are grieving, we have to fight through the celebrations and festive lights to find a quiet place and focus on getting through today.

 

May we move at the pace of molasses so we can hear what people are meaning behind their words. 

 

We have to accept the gifts that come, even the ones we don’t think we need because, in the humor and wisdom of the universe, we really might. Slow us down to pay attention to this moment and the people who are gathered here.

 

May our compassion for others be as warm and comforting as good chocolate, and as refreshing as a lemon tart.

 

In everything we do, may we be kind.