"I'm in no hurry"

is a phrase I almost never say.  I'm always in a hurry, always behind on projects, always struggling to accomplish everything I want to do that day, always pushing myself until I fall into bed, exhausted, only to start all over again the next day.

Except at the beach.  Except when I was on sabbatical.  Except for a few hours on a few days recently in London, when I once said it as I made room in a take-out food line for a mother who was clearly rushing to feed her kids and get to their next appointment. 

As the words rolled out of my mouth, I realized that I am often at my happiest, and certainly my most relaxed, in the situations when I am indeed in no hurry. 

The lesson here is obvious. 

Less obvious, though, is how to bring that lesson into practice and still do all I want to do, do my day job and write, keep all my commitments and still enjoy private time--strive to maintain all the balances that are part of almost all my days.

I've decided to start by trying to notice all those moments when I don't have to hurry, whenever and wherever they occur, and then to savor them, luxuriate in them, for however long they last.

I don't know that I'll succeed, but I believe it's worth a shot.