Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Along North Lewisberry Rd.

The morning light was especially lovely this last day of November. For some reason, I was late heading off the mountain, which resulted in the morning being brighter than at the time when I usually leave. I made myself even later by stopping to take a few photos of the light playing across a field. I figured that since I was already late, there was no harm in being a bit later, and light like this doesn’t come around every day.

Some days I have to consciously decide to spend more time enjoying my surroundings. It’s so easy, and so empty, to race from one thing to another. Now that I am older, I am more inclined to somehow make a few more moments for that enjoyment. My time on earth grows shorter with each passing day, and really, if I don’t enjoy myself along the way, what’s the point? Trying to make someone else happy is a fool’s errand, whether that person be a boss or a family member. If they aren’t happy, that’s their own problem to fix, not mine.

Still, I have to remind myself to slow down. It doesn’t come naturally to me. I tend to be way too logical and way too linear. What the shortest, fastest, most efficient way to accomplish this task? That thinking leads to nothing but frustration as nothing ever operates at maximum speed or efficiency. Often, I think that faster and more efficient will lead to more “free” time to enjoy my surroundings. Over the years I’ve found that life doesn’t really work that way. There’s always some other task to do. Better to notice the morning light in those few moments when it is especially lovely than to expect it to be there when I have more time.

5 comments:

Scott said...

Boy, Carolyn, could I have written this post! Thanks for putting into words what I think about a lot. I was away all last week, and tried to get caught-up on Monday; by the time I left work, I was a bundle of jangling nerves. Fortunately, it was Kali's birthday, I asked her if she'd like to go out to eat to celebrate, and she agreed (especially because she'd had a nerve-jangling day, too). By the time we left the restaurant, we were both much calmer, and Kali turned to me and said, "Thanks; I needed that." Indeed.

By the way, as we returned from our trip last week on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, we passed under a bridge bearing the sign "Round Top Road;" does it lead to you? The Turnpike passes pretty far north of you, doesn't it?

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

Xerxes once halted his entire army so that he might contemplate the beauty of a single sycamore.

Carolyn H said...

Scott: Thanks! As to the turnpike, it only passes a few miles north of me but there's lots of Roundtop or Round Top roads around this area. I know of one near Gettysburg and another near Pittsburgh, too. The turnpike doesn't cross my Roundtop Rd.

Carolyn H said...

John: good for Xerxes (though it would be interesting to learn what the rest of the army thought about that!)

Wayfarin' Stranger said...

You're certainly headed in the right direction, Carolyn. I know from personal experience that it is hard to move from being Type "A" to taking control and enjoying the journey. But in the end, the journey turns out to be all we ever had. So relax and enjoy. Jim