Slowing Down to Feel

Lately I’ve been craving slowness. Summer has been full, and my body keeps whispering, please pause. I don’t want to keep rushing or skimming through life like it doesn’t matter. I want to slow down. I want to be present. I want to pay attention.

Have you noticed how, when you slow down and really stay in a moment, it becomes easier to remember and cherish?

I’ve been thinking about the times when I do slow down. Like the other day at the beach with my daughter. We searched for hermit crabs. I put my phone away and really listened to my daughter, the seagulls, and the waves. I even remember how wonderful the water felt with the sunshine hitting it. I remember the names she gave the crabs: Crail, Herman, and Lee. That moment stuck with me. Ask me what I did the day before, and I probably couldn’t tell you. :)

But paying attention can be hard, especially when grief feels heavy. Mine has been. And the collective grief of the world feels close too. The fast pace of life makes it easy to stay distracted, to avoid what hurts.

I’m trying to move more intentionally. I’m reminding myself that feeling is okay. Many of us were taught to push grief aside. To get over it or keep it hidden. But when I actually slow down enough to feel it, I notice something surprising. I also make space for joy. And even for magic!

A crow dropped a crab apple in my lap last week while I was deep in thought. He may have laughed at me, which I was not offended by. It felt like a reminder to stop perseverating and notice the beauty that still exists.

Yesterday I felt a wave of sadness about my dad. I had planned to get things done, but the tears came, and I let them. I sat with them. And later that day, I ended up laughing hysterically while watching a bunch of ridiculous talking bird videos. I was crying laughing. It felt so good to do both. I’m still sad, but it’s comforting to know I can laugh like that again. It can all exist together.

“By paying attention we let ourselves be touched by life, and our hearts become more open and engaged.”
— Tara Brach

This quote feels true in my bones. When I slow down, when I pay attention, something softens. My heart opens a little more.

I haven’t shared or even made my art much lately. I had a goal to create daily collage doodles paired with quotes on grief. I’ve made some, but when art becomes just another item on the to-do list, it loses its purpose. Creative practices are tools to help us break free from pressure and have fun.

To be honest, I’ve had a bit of a creative block with collage. So I’ve been playing around with photography again, which has felt grounding in a different way. (You can see one of those photo experiments above.) And I did manage to make a few collage doodles. We do what we can, when we can.

I’ll be sharing my collage doodle process soon, so you can join me if you'd like. A few people have loved the idea of making little intuitive collage doodles and pairing them with quotes on grief (or joy or laughter) in a dedicated art journal.

Thanks for being here. If you’re feeling a lot these days, you’re not alone.
Take good care! And reach out if you have any questions or would just like to share your own experiences.