You miss out on more
by moving too quickly.
You miss out on good meals
by eating whatever is in front of you
without thanking the food
and becoming numb with pleasure.
You miss out on good conversation
by walking past people
and assuming they have nothing to offer you.
You miss out on good conversation with your soul
and the chance to find comfort in your silence
by distracting yourself with loud music
or fantasies of another reality.
You walk past beautiful flowers
because you only want a workout out of the walk
rather than to enjoy a good orange along the way
or make a new friend.
We always think that the things we do in life
should give us immediate pleasure.
But the best things are slow to give us pleasure.
The best things may not even look that appealing,
like taking a nap instead of working,
or slow-cooking a cheesy risotto instead of eating chocolate,
or not being the main one talking in a conversation,
or opening the card first instead of the gift.
We miss out on enjoying life
chasing what we think we need
rather than waiting to see
what the universe wants to give us.
The next time you’re walking fast
trying to get to the silver at the end,
remember that along the path
life is already trying to hand you gold.
Ali Walks Around 