For the past 5 weeks, I’ve been playing a little game called Slow Play. My idea was to do as many things as I could think of at a slower pace. What have I learned from my month or so working with Slow Play? Here are some of my notes in the form of a poem:
S-L-O-W P-L-A-Y
It’s
… a game
… an experiment
… an exploration
… and has been illuminating.
I’ve found I can
… read slowly
… eat slowly
… walk slowly
… shower slowly
… breath slowly
… dress at the pace of a snail, but
I cannot do a summersault* slowly.
I just tried.
I have
talked more slowly
and spread work out over time.
I’ve found
… space both inside and out
… more time for
….. ….. thoughtfulness
….. ….. heart
….. ….. learning
….. ….. growing
….. ….. thinking
….. ….. writing
….. ….. improvising
….. ….. playing
….. ….. …..
….. ….. working
….. ….. connecting with others
….. ….. and
….. ….. more time
….. ….. yes more time.
I even found a way to laugh slowly.
I’ve learned to appreciate
… the added space
… process and my process
… the different ways there are of Playing Slow
… other’s pacing and my own
… and those who’ve passed me
….. ….. in the fast lane
….. ….. while I sauntered by doing everything
….. ….. I can think of to the tune of the snail.
Slow Play is a game
… an idea
… a focus point
… an improvisor’s song
… a play tool.
It has brought attention
… engagement
… and connection.
The poem above reminds me, again, that work can be play – it needn’t be different. It’s all in the approach. Slow Play surprisingly has become more than a game for me, more than a way of exploration, it’s become a practice over the past month or so.
Maybe we can choose our pace more often than we know? Slow play has illuminated the possibilities of choice in a powerful way.
One odd fact I learned along the way: If I had as many teeth as a snail, I’d have to brush my teeth pretty quickly or it would be an all day job and I don’t know that I would have time for it as snails have from 1000 to 14,000 teeth! Imagine the dentist visit, or trying to floss.
Enjoy the stories and have a playful day.
Mary
P.S. Thanks to Calvin who gave me the “floss” idea in the last paragraph – it makes me laugh.
P.S.S. Click here to read Slow Play – Field Notes #1
* summersault or somersault.
