Yesterday I was out for a run with the little babe and as we headed down a steep hill, the jogging stroller started pulling me and I had to run faster to keep up. I didn't really feel like running that fast, so I had to exert some control on the stroller to slow it down to a pace that was easier. I had to pull it back in order to run at a pace that was more enjoyable. I then realized that what just happened was a good metaphor to use when discussing the simplification of life. So many people talk about how their lives are busy and they wish they didn't have so much going on. The "simple life" appeals to people, yet they don't seem to be able to attain it. However, if they are just waiting for it to happen, it won't. They need to take hold of the stroller, to make the decisions that will give them the life that they want.
When the stroller started pulling me down the hill, there was the temptation to just start running faster. That would be the easier choice and the more exhilarating choice - running as fast as I can, even a bit out of control. Sometimes running fast is a good thing, like in a race. It is easy to choose the "fast choices" in life. And some people enjoy that life - the rat race. They want the newest technology that will supposedly make their life so much easier and better. They eat food that can be bought cheap and consumed quickly while they run from one activity to the next. They don't think twice about buying something brand new to replace a broken object instead of trying to repair it.
If this isn't what you want, then you have to exert some control. You need to make the choice to slow down your life because no one else is going to do it for you. It might not be the easiest choice when it feels like everyone else is running faster. At first it might seem like you're missing out on something or that you don't have the time to choose the slower pace. But since we only have one life, I want to actually enjoy it. While some days with my little babe might seem really long and exhausting (especially nearing the "terrible twos"), I know that every day is one that I need to cherish.