I just returned from managing a lot of personal property after a death in the family. Back in the day, people used to entertain more formally, and life seemed somehow a little less frantic, fractured and divided. The clinking of silverware on plates while people ate and chatted, catching up on their week, or month. The clink of glasses as everyone celebrated that promotion, or that new baby, or that graduation, or just making it through another week. It was relaxed. It was slower. It was graceful and yes, even a little uncomfortable for the younger ones who were learning manners and how to behave in a place, maybe a little nicer than their place.

Sometimes we feel like we should just toss all of the old and only use the quick and easy, purchased from online convenience places. Easy to launder, easy to wipe down or toss after a meal. Yet there is a grace and elegance that is missing in mass manufactured goods. Our tendencies as a society to speed things up, throw things away and go, go – constantly go, leaves no room for those simpler times and conversations. It’s no wonder, in my country at least, everyone is either outraged, scared or tired. Someone is always going to beat you to that sale, or that promotion or that post. To slow down, or relax, is seen as “losing”. You have to rush. You have to exclude to feel special, you have to dominate each moment, each topic, each situation.

The more I see of life the more I’m happy to not be in that mindset and not cram my days and weeks full of obligatory social events and responsibilities. I miss the simpler times, the slower times and yes, the times when we did not have as much, but we enjoyed what we had more. Creating more of that this fall is an intention of mine.

So as you start your week tomorrow (unless you work on Sunday’s and if so, Happy Monday), I hope you can be mindful of what is worth your energy and what just adds to your frustrations and gets you all tense and wound up. Slowly, start to weed out the things that are not necessary and that do not bring pleasure. Obviously we all have things that add stress to our lives that can’t be eliminated. However, there is so very much that we are in control of, that we can choose not to participate in. What will you choose?
Until next time, my readers, may you have love, peace and at least one delightful experience in this awesome world. Cheers!