Hi Friend
I’m not really what you call a “lake person”. I like water. I have memories of fishing trips on Lake Erie catching perch and bass when I was a kid. But I’m not the kind of person who heads to the lake every weekend. Actually as much as I spend time at Lake Hefner and Arcadia Lake, I don’t recall ever being out on the water. Until this past week.
My good friend Jeremy became a lake person this past spring when he purchased two Sea-Doo’s. He and his fam have been loving them. He was kind enough to invite me out for a spin. They are wildly fun! In the smooth waters I got it up to 50mph for extended times. Unfortunately or fortunately, it was classic Oklahoma wind. The waves were raging. The choppiness made for constant maneuvering.
“The sea was angry that day my friend” is all I could keep thinking when I was out there. Even though I was on top of the water, the water was beating my body. Even this morning my arms and shoulders are sore. My thighs strained. It was a workout.
Of course it was also a blast heading directly into the waves and flying out of the water. On one occasion I decided to do exactly what I did when I was skiing in Breckenridge this past January: Go as fast as I can, making no effort for control and eventually coming to a crashing halt! There’s something freeing about removing restraints and just going for it.
My thumb still hurts from the crash on the slopes seven months ago. Thankfully, being thrown from the jet ski didn’t leave any lingering pain from hitting the water. Though I did get exhausted swimming back to it.
I Like To Go Fast!
That mantra “Live Fast, Die Young” makes a lot of sense. Speed seems to inherently remove constraints. I suppose it has to, for us to achieve rapid acceleration in whatever area we are attempting to live with supersonic velocity.
This is one of those areas in my life that fluctuates between strength and weakness. I like making decisions, determining a direction and going for it. Which can lead to being stubborn, narrow and forceful. Or it can put me out front and more quickly provide data for the next decisions. Or cause me to disregard others, miss signals and subvert process. It can go either way, any time.
I’m more self-aware these days, but that’s not always enough. Being determined fuels fastness. Tempering speed requires patience. This past year, I’ve consciously attempted to decelerate the pace of life I live. From driving closer to the speed limit to not switching lanes at the checkout, small gestures of abatementare useful reminders of how I want to approach life.
SLOW
That word is a mix of pain, vain and strain. It often feels like an affront. Because it’s an unnatural disposition for me, I created an acronym to remind myself.
Stop
Listen
Observe
Wonder
The energy exerted to go slow is equal to the energy required to go fast, just applied differently. It seems odd, but it can also be equally exhausting. Is that just me, or do you feel similarly? I’m sure it’s in relation to our internal wiring.
One of my favorite books is Thinking Fast & Slow. I’ve wondered how I could approach life Living Fast & Slow. The spontaneity and zest to attack each day with a relentless zeal, while simultaneously extracting the nutrients of each slow-motion moment is an appealing proposition. Does it have to be either/or? Is there a way to achieve both?
Instigating Ideas
1. Speed up one thing in your life, slow down another.
2. Get on a lake.
3. Create a benefits list of fast. Same with slow.
Arcadia Lake was up 12 feet!! The banks I’ve walked on many times were buried under water. The closer to shore we got, the more treacherous it was. It captured the friction of living fast and slow. If I went slow, the waves would push me in the direction they were heading. If I went fast every other second the waves would pound my body as I hit the concrete surf and I’d have to stop.
Having the right equipment, understanding the environment and keeping a friend close, seems the best way to navigate treachery and life.