Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Slowing Down for October

As a devoted reader of The Sun Magazine, I was delighted to see that the theme of October's issue was "slowing down," which struck me as being particularly appropriate for this particular time of year.


As a matter of fact, the prospect of slowing down was what prompted me to schedule a few days at Coyote Springs Cottage, hidden away in the rolling hills of Northeast Iowa.


So naturally I made sure that The Sun went along with me and since I always turn to the last page first to read over the quotes that fit the theme for the month, several of them jumped out at me right away. Like this one: "...it is only when there is no goal and no rush that the human senses are fully open to receive the world." (Alan Watts)

It's definitely worth stopping the rush that gets in the way of what our sense can reveal to us about Autumn! Things like this......





Coyote Springs Cottage was once a two storey farmhouse that was home to a family of seven. Built in the mid 19th century by an Irish immigrant, it gradually fell into near ruin until it was rescued and beautifully restored by its present owner who rents it at a very reasonable cost to people like me who want to slow down and take advantage of the loveliness of October.


It was good to have a chance to spend several days there being a hermit since I have learned to value what can happen during times of silence and solitude. I think it sharpens the senses and helps us be more alert to what's going on around us....




Spending time in solitude is also a chance to move inside - both literally and figuratively -- in order to ponder and reflect on things we might not otherwise take the time to think about....


Solitude is probably what Fanny Fern had in mind when she said: ""I am convinced that there are times in everybody's experience when there is so much to be done, that the only way to to do it is to sit down and do nothing." That's definitely what I found most rewarding about the time I spent at Coyote Springs Cottage. It was a chance to step aside from what has been keeping me so busy lately in order to do nothing for a while....except pay attention to what I probably would have missed out on otherwise.