Romanticizing and slowing down

 My sister and I were watching a movie the other night and in the scene, the main character is sitting in a room full of photographs, drawings, books - sunlight streams in from long drapes in the delicately carved windows. 

We are missing something in the twenty first century with romance and slowing down. 

I don't mean romance from rom-com's, I mean the style, the time period: the romantizing of life that happens when I write about the simplest things you wouldn't give another thought to until you put it to poetry and it takes a different form. 

"We don't experience this anymore! We don't slow down and just l i v e." I told my sister. 

Living in America in 2023 means that you are going going going until you get sick and are forced to take a day or two off ; then you're back to the frantic race of productivity and busyness. Well, that's what it used to mean. It's either that or my generation piling themselves up on medication, taking money from the government, and refusing to get off the couch. (Excuse my getting political for a few sentences) 

Either way - we rarely slow down in our daily to focus on one thing, to give our absolute best to that one thing, and doing it at a pace where we can enjoy it and really take it in. We don't take the time to stop, look, and love what we see or put work into a piece of art that we can keep in our home - not need to show off to the social media crowd. They won't appreciate it like they would if they visited your home and could take in your decoration. 

For example, photographs - instead of sharing most of my life photos on the internet, I keep photo albums. Those used to be my favorite things to look at at people's houses and now photographs and memories are up and accessible for everyone and it takes them .2 seconds to look at before they scroll on to something else. 

My sister takes it to another level : scrapbooks. She pulls out creative paper, scissors, photos, and puts them together in a binder, setting it up tastefully and artistically. 

Here is another one I became obsessed with a few years ago - dried flowers. Our room is full of hanging dried flowers. My inspiration began as a young child when I watched BBC Pride and Prejudice - an example of life being slower and beautiful things being appreciated and given time to just a whole lot more. I remember being mesmerized by their room of hanging flowers and herbs. From then on, I decided at some points in my life, I need an area like that. 

I know when kids enter the picture for me, there will rarely be a moment to slow down and do any of this time of "romantizing of life" but there are other forms. Forms where you can just take in the moment with your child. Take in the moment of learning some new. Take the opportunity for the nature walks and love the squished murdered flowers they excitedly place in your pocket. Watch sun rays dance off their hair and the curve of their small hands as they learn each day something new. 

Or if you are running a home, the ability to put your full dedication into cooking something well. Discovering new recipes, providing warmth and a deliciousness for all who enter. A hospitality that leaves others desiring to do the same. 

Or even the simple running of laundry through. Find motivational quotes of beauty to place around your laundry area. Work done to excellence and fully executed form a thing of beauty. 

This life is speeding by. 

But it can speed by full of beautiful embraced loved moments that you've picked up with full arms, and helped the beauty grow a little with what role you have been called the play. Whether work wise - or if you have those free moments. 

                                    "Make something beautiful every day."