"Smile, breathe and go slowly."
~ Thich Nhat Hanh
The pace of modern life can be quite hectic, especially for working women. Technology-enabled, notification-driven, and always on the edge — teetering between the personal and professional, never quite achieving the balance.
I too was just rushing through life, never really doing just one thing at a time. I was always on the go, until a life was born in me… my daughter. And that is when I discovered “magic".
The magic of slowing down. Of sinking into the comfort of a sofa, of losing myself in a book, of standing under the shower, of enjoying the sweetness of milk, the punch of a fruit, of rain on my face, of wind in my hair, of pausing for breath, of looking in the mirror, of doing nothing.
It’s as if I have been given a second chance… to match her pace, to follow her faltering steps, to know this world a little better, to live this life one more time. To be delighted with little things, to laugh wholeheartedly, to live freely, to love unconditionally.
That is the magic of “experiencing” life. Not just going through it, or struggling at it. Children can really make you stop and take a long, hard look at what you’ve been missing in life, while you were rushing through.
I thank my daughter for giving me the opportunity to really “live” my life. I’m so glad for this second chance, and I had the strong desire to capture the magic of this experience while I was living—actually living—in the Now.
And that is why I created Niddledy Noddledy… to collect memories, not just things.
Come join me on this beautiful journey. Take a look, and let me know how I’m doing.
And while you’re at it… "Smile, breathe and go slowly.” :)