take your time

"It is a great art to saunter."
-Henry David Thoreau

"Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet, and the winds long to play with your hair."
-Khalil Gibran

"Wander a whole summer if you can. Thousands of God's blessings will search you and soak you as if you were a sponge, and the big days will go by uncounted."
-John Muir

I feel that we as Americans (myself included) are so rushed. It's busy this, busy that, honking cars, screeching brakes. "I'm busy" has become a common and wildly popular response to "How are you?" (once again, myself included)

But what are we rushing to do all the time? Is it just because we're used to our lives being that way? Sometimes that makes us become inconsiderate of each other. I'm often surprised at how impatience can make one human so rude to another. I know that sometimes life gets busy, and that's okay. But I don't want to be busy just for the sake of being busy, if that makes any sense. Some things really can wait.

We're meant to enjoy life, and how can we enjoy "the little things" that are so vital to happiness if we don't stop, take a breath, and look around once in awhile?

***
Brighten someone's day, if you can. Sometimes all it takes is a smile.
Sit down and eat breakfast. (I've long been trying for this one)
Try doing nothing sometimes. It's hard.
Listen to music.
Breathe.

Images, top to bottom:
unknown, jldesigns/stephanie williams, jldesigns/stephanie williams, iliveinoctober, dan martensen