Let me start by saying the next Ramble project is not going to win me any popularity contests. My family is not going to like it. Heck I don't even like it. But as they say nothing worth having comes easy. If you know me you probably know that I am an active person. My idea of a relaxing day starts at the gym has me in the kitchen cooking all afternoon and ends with dancing. I do not live happily in the grey areas between movement and sleep. Inactivity is something I do not do well if my eyes are open.
Joe on the other hand is much more apt to enjoy staying still. He appreciates time moving slower allowing more things to gently fall into place. He functions better this way, perhaps that's why he didn't flinch when I mentioned our next project. Our kids are a hybrid of us. Dylan and I run at the same speed.We motor through things trying to squeeze as much out of the day as we can. We Spring out of bed in the morning and fall asleep easily in the evening. Emma is more like Joe, not understanding why anyone would choose to move that quickly if no one was chasing them. They are fans of the snooze button and never wake easily. It is as if it is an affront to their system to have to rise in the morning without at least a half hour lead time. They are also night owls. They end the day on their terms,when they are ready, not when the clock or the moon urges them. So with that it will be interesting to see how this project plays out. Who will benefit most from it and who it will challenge.
So here is the premise and here is why it is different that a lazy afternoon home with nothing to do. For four hours every Sunday for a month we will shut down all electronics. That is no TV, no music computers,or cell phones, no activities just stillness. The idea is to stop and take note of where we are. What does that mean? Imagine you are travelling somewhere along a road,moving ever forward at a frenzied pace. What would happen if you stopped for a minute? or five minutes or four hours? That's the question that I hope to answer. Now I know some of you may be saying I stop all the time. I relax and slow down. Let me just say I am not sure if I believe you. If sleeping doesn't count,
how often do you stop without your cell phone at hand or nearby, without the television
or computer or a relaxing activity like yoga or deep breathing or reading? What I am proposing is different. I mean just stop! Just look around and wait or witness what's floating around you?
If you are one of the rare people who is already doing this then this challenge is not for you. (but please do share who you are I may need a pep talk from you before I begin my hours) As for the rest of us I believe this is not going to be easy! It is similar to the lights go out during a black out and that moment where you sit there thinking NOW WHAT!?
I leave it to you to hop on to the crazy train with me and do this! Even for 15 minutes a day if that's all you can muster. Below is the link to an amazing Ted talk that will inspire you as it did me. I will also leave you with an idea; What if you emptied out a little space in you day or life and allowed the universe to fill it what then? Let us find out together. Ramble on!
http://www.ted.com/talks/pico_iyer_the_art_of_stillness?language=en
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