Blogging With YoursNotably: Unrushed: A Lesson I Learned from My Daughter

Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Unrushed: A Lesson I Learned from My Daughter

The other day, I found myself reminiscing about my younger days. People used to say I was always rushing…always in motion, always on the go. I worked in Midtown Manhattan back then, and every morning I’d race to catch the express bus into the city. My pace was fast, focused, and determined. Even in the evenings, I’d walk home with the same urgency, as if slowing down wasn’t an option. That was me: always in a rush. Looking back now, I laugh. My daughter, on the other hand—God bless her—has always been the opposite. Even as a child, she would pause to admire the smallest things in nature. A flower on the sidewalk, the pattern of tree bark, a flicker of light through the leaves,…she saw beauty where I only saw time passing. She’s an artist, after all. It’s part of her makeup. She went to a specialized art high school and was part of an advanced youth arts program. These days, she’s made a pivot into tech, but that careful eye—her ability to observe and capture—is still very much a part of her. These days, she’s made a pivot into tech, but that careful eye…her ability to observe and capture…is still very much a part of her. And now, many-something years later…and after a career that included over two decades of teaching…I’ve slowed down too. I’ve slowed down too. Not just because I have to, due to mobility issues, but because I’ve finally learned the value of slowing down. I’ve learned to notice. To appreciate. To really see. Now I pause to watch the full moon glow on a clear night, and I understand what she was seeing all along. Thanks, A.