I think I have finally found a definition of slow living that fits with me. I know, I know, it’s been nearly a week of this talk of slow living – get over it, already! But something about it – like I said – feels important. Here’s what I found:

It’s imperfect, really, but it sets some good bones that resonate with me and my spirit. I added it to a Pinterest board where I am collecting an Inspirational Vision Board. This was one of the items recommended in the book Little Stories of Your Life – which I am nearly complete and so clearly in love and inspired by. As made obvious by my daily writings, my daily intentions to capture pieces of my life, and my daily musings that are written without expectation or fear of judgment, it’s made an impact on me. It’s one of those books that I will recommend to absolutely every creative person, every writer, every lover of photography. It will awaken something in you – something that makes you feel validated as a voice, a ripple on this planet.

Anyway, back to the vision board because I want to talk about it. It’s here if you want to see it, because I have nothing to hide. The book mentions making a space to collect what you want your life to look like. Instead, I am finding it is mostly becoming flooded with books. But I suppose that’s fitting – I want my life to be flooded with literature, and I want my little stories and little learnings to flood and impact my life.

Pinterest has actually been a phenomenal source (or dangerous source?) for making a wishlist of books that speak to me. I told myself I wouldn’t buy any new books this year, but I find myself adding to my Vision Board numerous texts I want to add to my collection. I am trying to make a conscious effort to read as much as damn possible in my day, but with a child that demands my undivided attention and heavy lids by the evening, oof, it’s hard. Still, the presence of beautiful and meaningful books inspires me, and motivates me to unravel that slow living within it’s pages; a small piece of it, a definition to add to my ever-growing vision of this life.

Slow living tends to stress nature, and I have a bit of a hard time with this. Let me explain: I absolutely love and feel completely in-tune in nature. Nature revitalizes me. I can’t be in cities for too long, and the sound of running waters and the mountain views invigorates me. But: I hate walking aimlessly. Is that odd? Does that make me less mindful and meditative? Less spiritual? I hate walks along an endless path with no destination in mind. I hate the “walk until you turn around and walk back” walks. I hate the walks in purposeless walks in the cold. I hate the walks that are uphill – and the ones that are downhill because I know it will be uphill on return. That being said, I also hate the flat and plain walks. I don’t hate walking, but I really hate walking without a purpose or a destination. And it’s not like I love it any more when the weather is warmer. Is that weird? Does that make me less slow living? Does that make me less spiritually in-tune to nature? I ask myself this all the time when I walk and am not enjoying it.

But I want to love it, so badly. I want to be passionate about herbs, spices, wildflowers, weeds. I want to learn about forest bathing and how to take advantage of it. I want to learn about the gifts of this planet and how to be enchanted by all aspects of what is wild and free. I want to enjoy the aimlessness of nature for my son who so very much loves nature. But I find myself more excited about walking through a ski village than walking a forest path. I find myself more thrilled by a walk that ends with a stop for an ice cream than a walk through a field without purpose. I don’t know if this is something I can unlearn – or a new skill I can relearn – and I welcome anyone who shares the same sentiment to let me know, so I feel less alone.

A lot of the books on my vision board and those I’ve chosen as gifts for my birthday are related to reconnecting with nature as a way to rediscover the stillness and purpose of life. Not that I am missing my sense of purpose or direction, but I am certainly looking for that mindful awareness and enchantment with nature that wildlings seem to have without any issue or confusion.

This is where I part for the day. I have some organization things in mind and I’d like to get a chapter in before R wakes up. I am really inspired by the vision board and by all these new books I’ve added – am adding – to my collection. As a genre mood reader, I’m just hoping the genre mood doesn’t shift before I get through them all!

xx C