On the computer it is easy to shut down. On my desktop, I simply press Ctrl Alt Delete and it shuts down. I muse sometimes about the challenge of having a comparable way to pause the hectic pace of life.
I admit that my ability to multi-task and move fast has contributed to my productivity and success in life – managing a household, building and maintaining a garden, running a business, being a good wife, sister, aunt and friend. But after a while, it can all be exhausting. Sometimes I wonder if the source of my frustration is my desire to have it both ways, be productive while resting in inner peace.
I talk to people all the time, underscoring the value of silence and stillness. An honest discussion of this aspiration includes the truth about the difficulty pausing life.
I wonder if we have been so conditioned to life-in-motion that life-on-pause seems beyond reach. Perhaps Sir Isaac Newton’s First Law of Motion – that an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force – applies to humans?!
In fairness, I am focusing on two distinctive but intersecting phenomena, one related to the outer life and another to our inner world.
I have found that taking a vacation is a great way to pause everyday life but truthfully it is no panacea. There is no near or faraway place that you can travel to without the inner voice that may be reminding you about the countless things that remain undone.
Sleep addresses both the need for stillness and quietude, if you are not one of the many who have a notebook and pen next to the bed to capture great ideas or a long forgotten ‘to do’ that surfaces before dawn.
I was so tired when I first drafted this blog post, which may account for the theme I selected, that I decided to meditate afterwards. I went into a deep meditative state. It was incredibly beautiful, peaceful and fortifying. I laughed when I brought myself back to everyday awareness. I realized that one of my spirit guides had wanted to make sure that I didn’t omit the most effective way to achieve stillness and inner peace – meditation.
If you are challenged slowing down the pace of everyday life or find yourself wanting more stillness and inner peace, you might consider meditating or meditating more. Be careful not to make it another ‘to do’. Over time you will realize it is the best Ctrl Alt Delete available.
