Do you feel like you’re rushing all the time? If so, you might not be imagining it. There’s a story in the papers today on the pace of life in the world’s cities. And it’s 10% faster in 2007 than it was in the early 1990s.
The study is based on the speed that pedestrians walk at - which they say is a good measure of the pace of life in a city. Going so much faster is not good news. They reckon that people in fast moving cities are less likely to help other people and have higher rates of coronary heart disease. The fastest moving city is Singapore - where they take 10.55 seconds to walk 60ft. New York comes in at number 8 - slower than Dublin would you believe. Edinburgh was reassuringly slow at 13.29 seconds. You can find out the pace of life in your city here.
If you think you might be going too fast you can take the Quirkology test (by the guys that did the pace of life project).
And if you want to slow down… well it might be old-fashioned but why not try a remedy from Simon and Garfunkel. The 59th Bridge Street Song’s been running through my head all day, ever since I read the story. Guaranteed to make you slow down and smile… feeling groovy.
Slow down, you move too fast
You got to make the morning last
Just kicking down the cobblestones
Looking for fun and feeling groovy
Ba da da da da da da, feeling groovy…I got no deeds to do
No promises to keep
I’m dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me
Life I love you, all is groovy
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Joanna
I’m late on commenting on this post but your comments reminded me of the poem Leisure by William Henry Davis:
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
I think it’s another one of those poems/songs that’s guaranteed to make you slow down and smile. Whenever I’m super busy, this runs through my mind and reminds me it’s time to have a break and appreciate everything going on around us.
Hi Emma it’s good to hear from you again and in my book there’s no such thing as being late with a comment. They are all welcome
Thanks too for sharing the poem. You’re right, just reading it again and hearing the words playing through your mind is enough to make you stop, breathe in, look around, and smile.
Joanna
As the song goes…”where have all the good times gone”. Hippies these days are too strung out. They are too health conscious and read too much gobbeldygook. I feel sad at the whole new rich so called “cyber hippies”. What ever happened to protesting on the grass. Now It’s…the secret…this…and ….what the bleep…that…I thing the indoor couch potato hippy has taken over. I miss the flowers in the hair.
Old Hippie, I suspect you’re not alone in that!
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