“Slow down, you move too fast. You got to make the morning last.” So go the lyrics to The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy), by Simon And Garfunkel.
And you know — they’ve got a point.
We do live way too fast, amongst the hustle and bustle of city life — and we need to slow down — for our health and that of our children.
In the majority of households, it’s we women who set the tone — it’s usually the moms who sign the children up for school, programs and play dates, driving them there and picking them up. It’s usually the moms who plan the meals, the birthday parties, the weekend activities. More often than not, it’s the wives and girlfriends who make dinner dates, plan dinner parties, and schedule the couples’ social life.
And, therefore, it’s up to us, the women, to S-L-O-W it right down.
Not sure what I’m talking about? Ask yourself what you did this past weekend. Think about your plans for next weekend. Is there any time in there to just chill out? I don’t mean vegging in front of the tube, or even catching a movie with friends. I’m talking about real down time: Sitting in front of the fire with a book; taking a long, hot bath; or rubbing your partner’s feet while he/she rubs yours and just talking.
We need that time — for ourselves, to get some inner peace and recharge our batteries; and for our relationships, to reconnect and get in synch with our partners.
And those of us who have children need to turn it down for them, so they can learn from our example. Maybe they don’t need to go to all three of the birthdays they were invited to on Saturday. Maybe your kids don’t really need to do swimming, skating, piano, gymnastics, and dance every semester. Maybe they don’t need to have a friend over every day after school.
We all struggle with the constraints of time — from the moment we wake in the morning, it’s rush, rush, rush. If you’re single, it may be catching an early fitness class, calling your parents, making dates with friends, and signing up for another course. If you’re a mom, it may be fitting in exercise, breakfast, and a shower while managing to get children ready and out the door, driving them to school, and getting to work on time.
No matter the details, starting your day harried and hurried is taking its toll. And the rest of the day is often more of the same frenzy.
Most of us do it — and most of us complain about it. So let’s try to omit some of the self-imposed pressure and enjoy our time together. It’s precious and it’s fleeting.
