We are in final preparations for our trip back to the US. We are not looking forward to this trip, partly because we love it here and partly due to the work that awaits us in Santa Fe. There are many details to take care of while we are in the US—filing income tax returns, submitting Elyn’s book for printing, clearing the house in preparation for either sale or rental, etc. We know that we will suddenly speed up our lives, as we always seem to do when we return to the US from abroad. We will have to make an effort to take time out to see our friends and it will be a challenge for all of us to find time in our busy lives for socializing. We will fill our computer schedule to the brim and we will look each day to see how we will spend every hour.
We notice that here there always seems to be time to read, talk with people, do our shopping (on foot) in all the little tiendas, while in the US we will rush through Whole Foods fighting crowds, drive to the bank, drive to the shopping centers, and generally feel the need to accomplish more, more, more. We realize that this is something we do to ourselves, but it is very easy to succumb to the general pace of life we find around us.
Here I can spend a morning looking at travel guides or reading a book and not feel that I am “wasting time.” In the US I tend to push myself to “get it all done” as quickly as possible. I can remember as a child that I read about the new “electronic brains” that were just being invented. Science Digest predicted that in the next century we would not work at all—the “electronic brains” would take it all over for us and we would be on permanent vacation. What we have actually done is take the power of the technology we have created to do more work. The average workweek for Americans has only increased as we have harnessed the computer to do more in less time. Is this a sane way to live? Well, I know the answer and so do you.
Mental note: this time I must watch myself to avoid being caught up in the mad rush. This time I’ll do it better. Well, vamos a ver, as we say here.
I have never lived in Europe, but while visiting there I did notice a slower and more relaxed pace. That seems to be especially true in Spain with the siesta and late dinners. The meals there are a time for conversation and not be be rushed while we wolf our food down to hurry to the next project. We could learn a lot from the Spanish.
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