There is more...

There is a quote that I love. It hangs, framed, in my living room and I see it every day. I should take its heed every day, especially on those hurried days when I feel that there is not enough time in the day to accomplish all I need to or all that I want to....

"There is more to life than increasing its speed."

~Gandhi

Yes, I have taken more notice of this framed quote in the last few days. Maybe because I just spent what was a very busy, but at the same time restful, extra-long weekend with my dad. Maybe it is because the days of summer have wound completely down now and the sun is setting and darkness is among us what seems like hours earlier than it was a mere month ago. Maybe it is because autumn feels like a season in which we should slow down, a time to enjoy the sights and sounds; from crisp air to crunching leaves to hot spiced cider to the slimy, gooey goodness of the inside of a pumpkin. It is Back-to-school time, football and tailgate party time. It is time to retire my morning-tea-on-the-balcony-times to indoor tea times. Preferably curled up in my bed or on the couch. Replete with many good books and a few great movies. Yes, these are the mornings and afternoons, the days, where there rush and fervor of the full summer months wane and ease me into the gloomy, rain filled days that grace our winter months here in the great Pacific Northwest. These are the days during which I reflect on the events of the summer and gear up for the holidays. The days that I downshift from cramming as much into as few hours as possible, all the while hoping for the best. Not that I don't love those fun-filled summer days. But, without the time to be still, to be calm, to be me, I couldn't grasp and cherish those bustling summer days.

Here's to Autumn, and to life slowing down, or rather, slowing life down.