How to slow down during June

A poem and some honest thoughts.

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Slow Down During June

If you want to slow down during June, you’ll have to let some things wait. You’ll want to turn off all notifications. You’ll need to put your out-of-office auto-reply on. You’ll want to fill your belly with fresh fruit. Wake up early enough to hear the birds before the world gets loud. Leave the porch door open a little longer. Drop your phone in the lake. Sit outside after dinner and watch the sky soften. Stop trying to turn every free moment into something productive. Choose the sunset over dishes. Water something growing. Let yourself believe you are growing too. Remember: A walk in the woods is God’s podcast. Go listen. Find a way to eat pie. Cherry. Strawberry. Key lime. Chocolate. All of the pies. Not everything needs your attention right away. Not every text needs an immediate reply. Not every evening needs to be filled. Sit in the quiet long enough for your soul to catch up with your body. Let some things stay unfinished while the fireflies come out. I know, it’s hard to believe it’s already June, but it is. Time flies. Don’t forget to look up. Breathe deep. Pay attention. July will be here before you know it. If you want to slow down during June, you’ll have to let some things wait. And it will be worth it.

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It’s not a game, but I have 27 tabs open on the computer I’m typing this on. No, I do not want a trophy, because this feels like losing. To my left are two cups of coffee. One from yesterday. One from today. There’s a stack of books beside me that I keep telling myself I’m going to read. Eleven pieces of paper are scattered across my desk. Three pens. Only one has a cap.

I’m a mess.

And somehow, I keep ending up here.

Every month, I tell myself I’m going to slow down. Pull back. Be more present. Trust God with today. And every time, I find new ways to do the opposite.

I grip things tighter than I need to. I check my phone more than I want to admit. Opening social media is my smoke break and I am a chain smoker, always looking for a quick distraction only to end up wandering through an endless sea of comparison. I tell myself I’m building something meaningful, but sometimes it feels like I’m just trying to keep all the plates spinning.

The world seems to get louder every day. More distractions and invitations for our minds and bodies to hurry and leave the moment they’re in. And if I’m honest, I don’t need much encouragement to join the rush. I keep pushing forward on tired legs, convinced that if I just work a little harder, stay a little later, or answer a little faster, then maybe I’ll finally catch up.

But catch up to what?

Maybe that’s why June feels like an invitation.

An invitation to leave a few things undone. To let some emails wait. To sit outside a little longer. To listen to the birds before the noise starts. To remember that my value is not measured by my productivity, my platform, or how quickly I respond to a text message.

Maybe this June, God willing, I’ll slow down.

Maybe you need to as well.

Here is to slowing down this June.

With hope,

Tanner

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I hear poetry helps us slow down …

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