Slow

the REST of the week #124

It’s the rest of the week. What helps you slow down?

(picture of the fuel gauge)

First, I am unable to connect to Substack on my computer, so this is a first time attempt to write and post using my phone. I understand that there are people who write whole books on their phone. I wasn’t born into that generation.

Second, I am writing 2500 miles from home on the heels of a cross country road trip Daniel, who is returning to school.

I will keep this one brief.

Somewhere in Wyoming, It occurred to me to check how we were doing on gas, at which point I was alarmed to realize I’d lost track of time and we were on empty.

Driving westward, the glory of sunrise beamed into the car from behind us, overpowering the glow of the tiny, orange warning light by the gas gauge.

“Umm, Daniel,” I said solemnly, “can you check and see how far away the nearest gas station is?”

Wyoming is one of the most sparsely populated states in the US. Up until this point I had been drinking in the stillness of a vast expense of windswept plains.

How quickly feelings can change—in this case, from peaceful to frantic in the blink of an eye.

Well, the nearest gas station was 25 miles away. Daniel looked up the best speed for conserving gas (35-60 mph). We chose 60 mph, which still meant slowing down considerably.

Everything in me wanted to get to the that station as fast as possible and it felt terribly counterintuitive to lighten up on the gas pedal.

When I started instinctively speeding up, Daniel would encourage me to slow down—imagine cheering someone to slow down.

We made it!

I have a whole new appreciation for the quote (credited to Cicero):

To live long, it is necessary to live slowly.

And I am considering what it would look like to slow down in light of my hopes for the long term.

May you slow down in ways that foster rest—and may your rest be sweet.

Alicia