When my husband was in Tennessee and I would go visit him we stayed at one of those extended stay hotels companies use.
There was a maintenance man there called John who was just lovely. I used to chat to him on my way to and from my walks.
One of his expressions, he used this a lot, was "don't get in a rush now". This made particular sense when it was hot, but I think he said it year around.
This has stayed with me because it struck me as such an unusual way to look at things.
Me being far more north than a Yankee and of a world where "I am so busy" and "have so much to do" are what everyone says to each other instead of hello.
I thought of John last night when I opened up a new shirt pattern with 12 pieces and I thought, that's such a lot of work I am going to be busy.
But then I thought.
Barbara you have already enough clothes in your closet for four people. You are not going to be standing by naked waiting for this shirt to be made before you step out of the house.
I can take my time with this, all 12 pieces, and the world is going to proceed just fine.
I have been thinking a lot lately about what I need to do next in my life, doing more teaching of sewing is one thing, but it has occurred to me that one of the first things I need to do on a personal level, right now, is re-evaluate my relationship with time.
I'm thinking that if you are not in such a rush you have actually have more time.
Ponder that one with me.
More time maybe to chat with folks and have conversations they will remember.
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About me
- Barbara
- I am a mother, a grandmother, and a teacher. But whatever happens in my life, I keep sewing. I have worked as a political communicator and now as a teacher in my formal life. I have also written extensively on sewing. I have been a frequent contributor and contributing editor of Threads magazine and the Australian magazine Dressmaking with Stitches. My book Sew.. the garment-making book of knowledge was published in May 2018 and is available for pre-order from Amazon
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10 comments:
A phrase we use here often is, "Pace yourself." I, too, tend to be in a hurry all.the.time. I get it from Mom. Her baby sister once told me, "If your mother can't do it fast, she doesn't want to do it at all." "it" could be anything--vacuuming, sewing, planting a garden..... so, when i get in that mindset (which is often) I remind myself, "pace yourself."
I felt that I always had to get in a rush prior to retirement. Now I have hit a stride of casual.....and it is wonderful. I stay busy, but do not feel that I must complete things at record pace.
Great post Hope you enjoy sewing this, at a slower pace, sounds like it's going to be fun.
Yep, you're right about rushing taking more time. Every time I rush I screw something up and end up having to re-do. Unless it's so bollixed up I have to toss it.
There is an old saying..."the hurrier I go, the behinder I get."
In fact it's so old that spell check hadn't been invented yet!!!
When I take my time, even vacuuming, it seems as though I accomplish way more in less time than when I rush. When it comes to sewing...I would rather take my time and enjoy it.
Yes, I struggle with having time manage me instead of me managing my time. I tell myself, "pay attention to THIS moment" when I find the busy-ness starting up. I am still okay if I don't complete x number of projects, have a well decorated house, or ride a perfectly trained horse. Thank you for this post.
When I can take my time with a project I do better work but also tend to lose interest easier or something might get in between the start to finish process. For me there is a fine line between not enough time and taking too much time. I need to work on this...
This post reminded me of my MIL - a lovely lady who did not like to waste time. As a result, my husband thought that all food should be cooked on high and that if it wasn't burnt, he couldn't eat it. I finally got him to turn down the heat so he could taste the food.
Slowing down may be the only way we can savor what life has to offer.
I so enjoy your posts, especially the reflective ones like this. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
Judi P. got here first with that old Pennsylvania Deutsch saying. Also, I dimly remember my grandfather's generation saying something about not rushing to get to Hell, you'll end up there soon enough.
Today I reminded an elderly friend, joshingly, that she needed to put on clothes and brush her hair before she turned up at a luncheon event. She laughed and said that there was no worry she'd forget to put on clothes. "No one needs to see my dried arrangements and hanging basket." Feel free to use that old Southern saying any time you like!
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