It was Christina Baldwin that taught me something very helpful about pace. In her book, Seven Whispers, she writes about the important difference between “pace” and “speed”. “Speed,” she says, “is some guy running through the airport shouting into a cell phone.” I imagine that guy dodging people to get to his gate before departure. On the other hand, “pace,” she says, “is going around the block with a three-year-old and noticing everything the child is noticing.” I imagine very slow rambling along.
These pictures above are from a moment of pace, not speed, in our neighborhood. Pace of appreciated chairs next to a pond, and sitting in them 15 minutes just because. Pace of tall grasses blowing in October winds. Pace of relishing sunlight reflecting just so on bushes given to Autumn reds, oranges, yellows.
We humans, no matter how gifted we are, aren’t meant to always do speed. I believe, we are also meant to know and do pace. And to value and love pace. And meant to discern contexts when speed is our necessity, and when pace is our imperative.
Grateful for teachings that have pace within me.
Pace is stopping several times a day to do nothing. Put down everything. Breathe with your whole body and being. Pace is writing a dear friend to say, I read this, it slowed me. I’m going out to walk the dog while the laptop recharges.
Perfect! And thank you.