Standing Still and Slowing Down

​This gorgeous video “Postcards from 1952” by Explosions in the Sky evokes an earlier era and slows down precious moments of simple childhood pleasure and joy.  The music speeds up to a crescendo, but the images are slow moving and almost still throughout the seven-minute video.   When I watch it, I am reminded how blessed I have been to have these past few months to slow down and stand still.  Since moving to Mannheim, Germany in October of last year, I find myself treading lightly and slowly through the days.  We live in a small one-bedroom apartment and have no car.  Mannheim is a medium-sized city and we live in what is called the Quadratt which is the downtown area of the city.  It’s a great part of the city to live in and although it isn’t the same as the downtown of a big city, it has a special buzz all of its own with people out in the streets going to cafes, stores and markets throughout the day.  Everything we need is within walking distance.  There are several grocery stores and even two bio stores (organic grocery stores) within a 10-block radius.  I usually go to the store 2-3 times a week buying enough to get us through a day or two.  The gym is 4 blocks away and my boxing gym is about 10 blocks from my apartment.  There is a cafe and bakery on just about every block.  We also have a couple of hooptie bikes that get us around to further distances and once a week I secure a bundle of clothes on my bike to take to the laundromat which is about 4 blocks away.   I have developed a comfortable routine that involves exercise, reading, writing, studying, and working.  At times, it feels surreal to be here, but it has been incredibly nourishing to my soul.  It has been about 15 years since I have taken the time to slow down and stand still.  For the first time in that long, I have rested, relaxed, and been living each day in the moment and had the luxury of not worrying too much about what the future holds.  Simple pleasures and quiet moments spring to the front of my awareness; watching a mother explain some curiosity to her child as they make their way hand in hand down the street, a small dog pouncing on the snow as it is walked by its owner or a young couple deeply engrossed in conversation through a cafe window.  In a couple of months, we will pack up and head back home to busier lives which I am certainly looking forward to, but I am also certain I will look back at this time spent here fondly where I was able to rejuvenate and refresh my body and soul by simply taking the time to slow down and stand still.