I am thinking about the magic of the intersection between pen and paper, paint and canvas, idea and enactment, goals and accomplishment.

What makes dreams real, love flame, beauty come alive? It is always action. But not just concrete action: quiet action, contemplation, even just sitting perfectly still are necessary. Some of the most breathtaking photos require a photographer to sit completely still for hours. Life is certainly to be lived and often at great velocity, but we are going so fast-we make mistakes, we get hurt or hurt others, or we fail to achieve the goal. I love John Wooden’s words on this: “Be quick, but don’t hurry.” I am always hurrying, trying to fit more in, to do more. I talk fast, move fast, think fast-which means I am often banging into walls, misunderstanding information, impatient and exhausted. It has taken years to soften my speed. I love being lit up and excited and glowing with velocity-but, I crave serenity and the success of being more methodical and careful. I strive to not conflate time any more. I use a written day planner to map out the shape of my day and to be honest with what I can really accomplish in actual time. I have learned to accomplish tasks in steps, and to plan for one-on-one time with my kids, my husband, even myself. Most creative accomplishments, including parenting and loving in general, are a necklace of moments that include striving, thinking, doing, accomplishing individually and collaboratively. But the best ones often involve being very present in a quiet moment of soft movement or stillness.

I am learning that in these quiet moments, these slower moments that are created through care; we find answers to challenges. There can be a different path or a different way of approaching dreams, art, goals, and relationships. The more naps I take, the more times I step back, and really take stock, the more times I really listen: the more I accomplish.

We don’t need to just keep swimming all the time. We can or need to just float sometimes. When we float, we aren’t panicking, we are just being. We can truly see and hear and breathe. Contemplate the sunrise of a whole new day, the blank canvas, the empty screen or page. Really see, hear, feel this crazy, lovely, maddening world all around you. You don’t have to kick the world’s ass to make it your own. Be a little vulnerable, be a little still and yes, you can be quick-but don’t hurry. You will be glad you didn’t!