Day 15

My life is fairly ruled by the clock. There is little I do that is not monitored by time. Even my creative endeavors are limited to the few hours here or there that I fit in between my other responsibilities. I like to be efficient with my time so I am a multi-tasker. I find no glory in chores that require being done over and over again like washing dishes or doing the laundry. I think of all the other things I could be doing with my time.

I do relax, but there's a time limit to it. There's a To Do list to get done and one of my greatest joys is crossing things from my list. Accomplishments mean a great deal to me and time gives me the opportunity to do them.

I cannot bring this mentality to my walks. Since I received this new leg, I have become a slow walker. I prefer to walk fast because the momentum carries the weight of my phttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=8080352370324814050rosthetic leg, but I learned early in this "mile walk" endeavor that walking slower alleviates some of my pain. When my family joins me in my walk, I'm occasionally left behind; their normal gate is still too fast for me. In order to walk my current route, I have to give myself a half an hour. Able-bodied people could walk that in fifteen minutes. Think of the things I could be doing with that extra fifteen minutes!

I can be resentful. I can be angry. I can be whiny. And I can also be accepting. It's my choice.

So I ask myself, "What's right about walking slowly?" The answers are plentiful. I get to spend a half an hour outside instead of just fifteen minutes. I get to notice the buds swelling on the bushes. I get to bathe in the moonlight for a little longer. I am reminded of my backpacking trips in my twenties. Especially with a full backpack on, I was a slow hiker. And, like then, I get to notice more, like the bulbs poking their heads out of the earth. I get to linger longer near the house with the intensely fragrant Daphne Adora. I get to watch the birds in the trees sing their song.

I find it nice to give myself a break from the clock and enjoy the here and now. It's my choice. And I choose to look at what's right about SLOW.