Take Your Time

I sometimes feel I am a Type A striving to be a Type B.  Back in my youth I used to take pride in myself that I was always running around getting stuff done.  I was praised back then for getting stuff done quickly.  But having dogs taught me to move slower.  My dogs are nervous dogs and when I move quickly in makes them nervous.  Dog behaviorists taught me to slow down when around dogs.  Fast movements make them nervous they told me.  This lesson was driven home while working at a boarding facility where there were lots of nervous dogs.  When I rushed around trying to get stuff done it made them more agitated and they grew more nervous.  As I watched animals in nature the reason for this began making sense.  Animals often move slowly.  Whether they are patrolling territory or grazing on vegetation.  They are always highly alert looking out for danger or opportunity but they move slowly until danger or opportunity presented itself.

I had two human teachers at different times in my life each give me half of the reason.  The one teacher was trying to teach me martial arts and was explaining to me that you can be alert and relaxed at the same time and that is truly how you counter a threat.  Too rigid and tense he explained will make you unable to counter a move and go with a fluid situation.  Not alert and you won't be able to see what's coming when a threat comes at you.  The other teacher was working on a show with me.  I was young still and running around ping ponging all over the place trying to do stuff and he said to me "Slow down and relax there are very few life and death situations in this life you will know when you are in one".  It wasn't till years later when I was in a life and death situation that I realized he was right.  Both these teachers expressed what the animal kingdom already knows.  When it's a life and death situation you move quickly and react.  In nature that can be many forms such as a hungry predator coming after you or a rival or maybe you need to catch prey yourself.  In all those instances quick action is taken but otherwise animals stay alert but relaxed and move slowly taking everything in until the moment requires action.  They are relaxed yet alert.  Those human teachers of mine were trying to get me to calm down and relax so I can take in my environment appropriately.  I had to gain confidence in myself to know that I would know when something needed a quick response.  And the dogs I worked with and the two I live with continue to remind me of that lesson.  When I move too quickly they think it's a life and death situation so I try to take my time.  

We only get one life we need to take it in and relax.  Staying aware but relaxed is the best way to take in everything this life has to offer and accomplish the most we can in our finite time on this planet.  Too tense and moving too quickly we will miss out.  We have to stop and smell the roses so to speak.  So until the moment of action is upon you enjoy the ride and savor and than snatch opportunity or defend yourself when the moment manifests.