“An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” ─ Henry David Thoreau

On occasion, a client will talk about wanting to hurry up, get there, be done, arrive, and find it. I ask, “What is “it?”  The response might be something, like “I don’t know but whatever it is I want to know.” They also talk about being late, feel behind or afraid that they might miss the boat. Sometimes a client has said, “Just tell me, and I will do it.” I reply, “I have no idea what it is but let’s see if we can discover what it is that you want or are looking for.

There seems to be in some people an inexplicable impulse, urge, or drive to rush as if they want to help push the river along. Their intention can be about discovering their own life path, purpose, mission or niche in the world. They feel like they want to get from A to Z automatically. Sometimes I answer with, “Let’s just take a first step and start to go from A to B.” After I say that the client usually takes a breath, sighs, and noticeably relaxes.

Pace

“Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow.” -Thoreau

According to the dictionary, the pace is the speed or rate at which somebody moves. It can be the distance covered by a single step or stride. Some people have an uneven pace and seem to take two steps forward and one step backward. This dynamic helps a person to evaluate his or her life’s progress. As they walk back and forth or pace, there is an experience of a nervous restlessness with a feeling of being held back as they worry.

This anxious feeling that propels people forward unconsciously to an unknown destination is sung in a song by Alabama. Here are some of the lyrics from Alabama’s song “I’m in a Hurry (And Don’t Know Why)

I hear a voice

That say’s I’m running behind

I better pick up my pace

It’s a race

And there ain’t no room

For someone in second place.

Can’t be late

I leave plenty of time

Shaking hands with the clock

I can’t stop

I’m on a roll and I’m ready to rock.

I’m in a hurry to get things done

Oh I rush and rush until life’s no fun

All I really gotta do is live and die

But I’m in a hurry and don’t know why.

Slow Down – Speed Trap

“I am old and move slowly” ─ Socrates

Metaphorically, some people get speeding tickets over and over again as if some higher law was giving out a message. The etymology of the word pace is from the Latin word pax (peace) as in pace tua (with your peace). Perhaps taking a stroll through life, sauntering around as one does a walk about, might bring the experience of peace of mind and the enjoyment of life.

“Thoughts come clearly while one walks.” ─ Thomas Mann

© Ozimkiewicz