Slowing down

I just read the headline of an article about the goal to curb childhood obesity by 2015. This stream of consciousness followed:

• How do they plan to do that?
• Probably a bunch of marketing techniques...
• Get all of America on board with it; get everyone to stop eating fast food so much.
• Yeah right...that'll happen; not with the stories I hear of so many people being expected to work insane hours at their jobs.
• Til that stops, people won't stop chosing the convenience over health.
• Hmmm...bet people used to be healthier b/c you HAD to go home and make dinner. America stopped at dinnertime.
• You can see it in the movies. Miracle on 34th Street - great example. Mr. Macy himself is having a big meeting with his executives and one taps his watch and Mr. Macy says, "oh, yes, we all need to get home for dinner." Not today...
• I wish our culture would swing back that way...I hate the go-go-go mindset.

In the past couple years, I've slowed down a LOT. It started out as a way to isolate myself some because of all that I was going through but once the pace lessened I realized that I really liked it. Slowing down means a lot more than what it can seem to an over-booked outsider (ah-hem, that was me). On the outside to me it looked like giving up my involvment with different groups and different people which seemed like it meant giving up friends. What I've learned is that it means giving up acquaintences - people I had previously given way too much of myself. It also means that I have gained the right to keep 3-4 of my weeknights free because I WANT to be home with my family and I don't need any more reason than that. It means that my time is free to be more available to spend time with those that truly mean the most to me. My inner circle is tighter and so much deeper as a result.

So here's to taking a little time to slow down, to free up the calendar, to just enjoy life at the pace it was taken by nearly every generation before us. And in the process we just might find a little more time to eat healthier, exercise more and sleep better.