Slow Down

I think the universe is trying to tell me something.

#1: I read an article about a woman who accepted a dare to not multi-task for 7 days. No talking on the phone while driving, no answering emails while watching t.v., nothing. The results were great (more focus, less stress, etc.), and I was thinking about trying it myself when I realized that I didn't want to give up talking on the phone while driving. I use my blue-tooth, so my hands are free, and I feel like I'm still focused (of course, I'm sure everyone thinks that). But I decided to try it and the loveliest little thing happened. I was at a stop light, I had classical music playing (yep, I'm a dork), and when I looked out the window I saw all these reeds blowing in the wind. And I know it sounds crazy, but they actually looked like they were dancing in time to the music. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen and I would have missed it if I was on the phone.

#2: This is much, much more serious and somber. I was watching a TiVo'd episode of Oprah last night (told you, I'm a dork...but she really is brilliant), and the show was about mothers trying to do too much. The main guest was an assistant principal and the mother of 2 girls. Her husband normally took their youngest daughter to daycare but he had an appointment one morning, so the mom was going to do it. She got to daycare too early, so she decided to pick up doughnuts for her coworkers to kill time. The doughnut store was on the way to her work, so after making the stop she drove straight to work out of habit. At the end of an 8 hour day, she walked out to her car and saw that she had forgotten to go to daycare and had left her 2 year old in the car the whole day. Her daughter died of heat stroke. Can you imagine? Can you even, for one moment, comprehend the pain and guilt that would haunt you every moment of every day for the rest of your life? I can not.

I am not writing this post to be macabre...I just want to urge everyone to stop and evaluate if you are truly present in your life. Being present can help prevent catastrophes like #2, and can provide opportunities for joy like #1. Neuroscientists have proved that multi-tasking is actually impossible: you literally can't do two things at once; you can only switch back and forth really quickly, which causes you to not fully focus on either task. I think I must have subconsciously known this b/c as I think back, I realize that although I talk while driving all the time, I have only done it twice when Lila was in the car. It just felt wrong. So, Universe, I'm taking the hint. I'm slowing down.