Slow down world...

There are lots of things that I like about the modern world. To name a few not in any particular order:

  • Central heating
  • Fridge
  • Cars
  • Internet
  • Telephones
  • Inside toilets
I am also acutely aware that a vast number of people don't own or have access to the items in the list above. I realise that I am very lucky to have these things to make my life more comfortable and the world much more accessible.

Our predecessors who lived in the Victorian age would find many of these items fantastic, they would also I think be amazed by the speed we live our lives. We try to cram in so much into our days that in the end we risk not doing anything properly. We don't get time to enjoy or take pride in the things we do before we are off doing the next task.

There was a time when if you wanted to correspond with someone you sent them a letter. The reply would take time; time for the letter to be delivered, time for the reply to be written and time for the reply to reach its destination. Now communication is my text or email and can be instantaneous from even across the vast distance of the globe.

I was driving to work today and witnessed a driver in a silver Mazda cut up another driver at a roundabout and then drive aggressively behind another car on a piece of dual-carriageway until they gave him some space whereupon he drove off into the distance. Obviously he or she was in some kind of hurry. I found myself gesticulating at the back of the car and telling him to slow down. I might have called him an idiot or worse although he wouldn't have heard me. This made me muse about the modern rat race and how we rush from one thing to the next.

Just then I spotted in the air a hot air balloon. It was like a sign. Just the kind of transport required to slow life down and take things at a much more leisurely pace. The hot air balloon was travelling in exactly the same direction as me and was likely to pass right over my place of work.

The passengers in that balloon must have had a real insight into this mornings rush hour. High above all of us travelling to work and school they could look down and watch as we sped to our destinations. I envied them this morning, a beautiful morning with a dramatic sky taking it easy, relaxing in a mode of transport where speed is so not the point. I bet they were enjoying themselves.

Modern life has many comforts, things designed to help us enjoy life more. However I fear that sometimes modern life travels too quickly. Maybe in those olden times a slower life meant people had time to spend with each other, to enjoy themselves.

So maybe we should all make a concerted effort just to slow the world down a bit and relax.

Comments

  1. Anonymous10 October 2012 at 19:27

    Will do Ed x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anna11 October 2012 at 10:48

    Amen! Slow down, world, you gonna hurt somebody... (Jazzy Ed and the...never mind).

    ReplyDelete

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