A few months back I wrote a post titled “Learning to Embrace the Slow Life.” While I discussed cooking for myself (and family), there are more facets to the slow life that I did not expound on, so I come back to those here. For those who use Google Maps for directions, there are three or four choices: driving, public transit, walking, and depending on where you are, biking directions.
For trips over a few miles, driving invariably offers the fastest option. Traffic aside, the speeds one can travel in a car are unmatched by biking, walking, or mass transit. However, for shorter excursions, those in the city that undoubtedly have lots of stops, and prices of fuel being what they are, time is only part of the equation. It is important to consider how long it will take to get from point A to point B, but that is not the only consideration.
On a nice day, walking or biking fulfills the need for exercise and commuting. A leisurely walk can be a nice change of pace as well. Rushing to get to from one place to the next seemingly adds to the stress and unsustainable pace we have set for ourselves. Speeding up to make it through the yellow/red light, just to save 30 seconds (or get stuck at the next light anyway) comes to mind.
As long as we have meetings to attend, deadlines to meet, and obligations to fulfill, we will pretty much always be in a hurry to get from one place to the next. It is, however, important to slow down and smell the proverbial roses. As Justin said recently, “Go for a Run. Sit Outside. Take a Nap Under a Tree.”
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