I Need You To Slow Me Down

This past Thursday morning, Rosie and I dropped our little Ford Focus off at the local dealership for a check-up. The nice man at the counter took the keys from me and said, "See you at 4:30." His chipper voice led me to believe that he had never been stranded in Moose Jaw with his almost-four-year-old daughter and no car. Upon further investigation, I found out that all the courtesy cars were spoken for that day. He offered to drop me off somewhere but what was the point of that? I had no idea where I even wanted to go and we had until 4:30 to fill - what was the rush? So Rosie and I walked out of the dealership,collected our colouring books, crayons, snacks, water and sun hats from the car and we were free to wander. I must admit that at first, I was less than thrilled with the prospect of hoofing it all over Moose Jaw. I mean, the Jaw can rarely capture my attention for longer than an hour and then even with a car, I can't get out of there fast enough. But I was determined to have some fun with Rosie so we set off in search of something.
Our first leg of the journey took us through a field just beside the main street of the city. As we walked, we saw prairie dog after prairie dog, sitting up on its hind legs, scoping out the territory, then scurrying off to a hole in the ground or just under some brush. There were so many! We stopped for a few minutes (afterall, we had nowhere to be) and just watched the prairie dog community at work. I thought how odd it was that I had driven past this field for six years now and had never noticed one little creature hiding in the grass.
We continued our walk past Canadian Tire and began up the hill to the mall entrance. Rosie needed a break. There was a bench just waiting for us so we sat halfway up the hill and had a snack and some water. We chatted together, counted the red cars that passed us, then packed up and continued the climb. This was the first of many breaks that day. I am sure that for wee Rosie, our ascent to the mall entrance was akin to reaching base camp at Mount Everest. It was tiring and daunting and she wanted to give up a few times, but I set a more modest pace and we finally made it.
The mall isn't much to write home about but it was air conditioned and there were things to look at. In Zellers, we tried out every chair or swing they had set up in their "outdoor living area". It was so much fun. We sat and rocked and swung while people came and went around us. We even played house for a while. Then we moved on. We walked the length of the mall, making very few actual purchases since I was already maxed out on storage space. Rosie sat in the coin rides and I finally found a loonie at the bottom of my purse so she could experience the real thing. As we sauntered, I felt myself letting go of whatever that is we carry around with us - the thing that makes us uptight, impatient, overly concerned about schedules and time. It was such a wonderful feeling. I noticed things, I heard Rosie and could give her my undivided attention. We could take as long as we wanted to do whatever. I was slowing down outside and in.
We left the mall and walked numerous blocks to the library. On the way, we needed to have another break so we stopped in the shade of a memorial statue which I had never really noticed before. We ate apples and watched people cutting their lawns. When we walked again, Rosie and I pointed out to each other which houses we liked the best. At one point, Rosie asked me if I thought this certain flower we came across smelled nice. I actually said, "Let's stop and smell it." Now I really understand that saying. It is simply delightful to stop on a leisurely stroll with your daughter and smell a flower.
We hit the library, the Pita Pit, the park, Tim Horton's and Blockbuster. We walked everywhere slowly and that slow, unrushed walk set the tone for the whole day. It was one of the best days I have ever had. We actually did very little. But I was present in each moment. I wasn't thinking about something else, planning dinner, going over my to-do list. I walked and talked with my daughter, exploring a city I hadn't ever really taken the time to see before.
I am so thankful for our day without our car. I highly recommend it to everyone. Leave the car and the cell phone and whatever other devices you have that keep you constantly plugged in to an ever-aggitating reality. Walk. Look around. Listen to your daughter, your friend, your heart beating, the trees in the wind. Slow down. Don't forget that this life is happening now. It is a gift beyond compare. Enjoy.