When the sun is setting, leave whatever you are doing and watch it. — Mehmet Murat Ildan
We rush through our days, physically, mentally, and emotionally–our imagined future robbing us of the present. Instead of savoring a toddler’s curiosity about the line of ants crossing the sidewalk, we pick the child up so we can get to the grocery store, as if the bananas will disappear before we get there. Rather than sitting down and focusing on the book in front of us, we add seven more to our online to-read list without questioning our tendency to avoid reading what we’ve already chosen.
What would happen to your storyline if one of your characters:
- stopped on the way to work or school to watch a train pass by?
- pulled the spent flowers from a bouquet and rearranged the others instead of rushing to answer emails after dinner?
- listened to the pain beneath their best friend’s humor instead of moving the conversation to something more comfortable?
- did nothing but listen to the sounds of the house settling for ten minutes every evening?
How would it change them? Who might they influence? What will they gain and what might they lose by living more in the moment?
What things/information is your character missing because they are rushing around?
What are they avoiding by not allowing themselves to slow down?