Art Out Loud NZ- Art That Speaks -
  • Home
  • Name Art
    • Family Trees >
      • Family Tree Print Designs
      • Family Tree Paintings
    • Name Art Creations (for children and the young at heart!) >
      • The Paintings
      • The Prints >
        • Watercolour Prints >
          • Watercolour Packages
      • BEing ME Bag
      • The List to Listen For!
      • Name Art On Show
    • Name Art Creations (for grown ups) >
      • Celebration Art
      • Engagement Art
      • Wedding Art
      • Anniversary Art
      • 21st Birthday Art
    • Name Art Creations (for pets)
  • Word Art
    • Children's Word Art >
      • Children's Word Art Prints
      • Children's Words on Wood
    • Word Art for your Home >
      • Kombi Word Art
    • Native Bird Words
    • Kiwiana Words
    • Aroha Words
  • Clothing
    • Clothing Designs (Names)
    • Maternity Designs >
      • Maternity and Ultrasound Prints
    • Kiwi Chicks Design
    • Care Instructions
  • WORKSHOPS
  • Commissions
  • About Us
    • Contact
    • Testimonials
  • Blog
    • Newsletter >
      • Live Out Loud Interviews >
        • Leanne Martell
        • Kate Simpson
        • Suz Coram-Stanley
    • Must-See Links

The value of... slowing... down...

15/2/2013

2 Comments

 
"Slow down and everything you are chasing will come around and catch you." -- John De Paola
Picture
Don't underestimate the clarity that spending a moment watching your child sleep, can bring.

After working three days straight in a new day job, I was exhausted and as a "tired me" does...craving sweet food and early night. But those three days were also precious hours working away from my two year old son, and as I picked him up this sunny Friday afternoon... his demeanour was less than sunny, towards me.

So what to do... I shook of my fatigue, picked up a chocolate McFlurry icecream with two spoons and drove home via our local park. His face lit up, my mood lifted, we raced each other across the dry summer grass to get to the play area and I found peace in melted vanilla icecream, and the sway of an orange teddy bear swing.
I chatted with other parents, he enjoyed a game of jungle gym tag with a few local children and we both went home - happy with ourselves and each other.

Tonight in the midst of re-organising my studio room and the mounting chaos of computer files and folders... I stopped work and lay in the glow of my small child's night light beside him. How very often I am thinking of something else while talking to him, doing something else while entertaining him... and am I really getting further ahead... or leaving something valuable behind?

It takes only a glimpse of his soft cheek on his pillow to remind me of the briefness of the innocence and tranquility of childhood... and how willing he is to share this with me and this window of opportunity is now open... but all too soon it will be closed. My resolution for tomorrow and the days that follow is to hold this thought dear, and slow down, be in the moment, allow the making of memories to be what drives me.

This doesn't mean however, that I shall be silent at Art Out Loud NZ or giving up teaching any time soon. These things too make me who I am and enable my creative energy to fire and spark. And I am thankful.
I will simply be looking forward to smoothing my artistic processes, decluttering my workload and moving (perhaps slowly) towards achievable milestones this year, while prioritising time with my family, friends and freedom.
"Slow down you're doing fine, you can't be everything you want to be... before your time."  --Billy Joel
2 Comments
Sue
25/2/2013 05:06:55 am

Very lovely words Stacey and I know exactly what you mean... all too often I am only physically there but with my head and thoughts somewhere totally different which should not be important in the moments we spend with our children. those oh so precious moments which we will yarn back to all too soon. thanks for reminding me to spend more time in the here and now (and hopefully by doing so also getting more done the time we do spend on something)

Reply
Vicki Stoner
19/3/2013 11:29:43 am

So true Stacey. I try to be there when I am with them. Hard sometimes when we are always living in the future (what needs to be done) and not in the now.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Stacey Vinnicombe  Creator of Art Out Loud NZ

    Archives

    February 2014
    January 2014
    October 2013
    February 2013
    November 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011

    Categories

    All
    July 2011
    June 2012
    Latest News
    Latest News

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.