Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Slow Down, You’re Moving Too Fast...*

*…You've Got to Make the Morning Last."
From “Feeling Groovy,” a Simon & Garfunkel song

Some years ago my father marveled at a new photo developing shop that boasted they will have your film developed and prints made in an hour. Across the street a competitor sprouted, making the same promise but in fifty-nine minutes.
The days of bringing the film in and waiting for it to come back in a week were gone.

Two months later, yet another camera place said they’d get your order ready in thirty minutes. 
“What will they think of next?” my father gasped. “Maybe some sort of instant service? Your photos are visible as soon as you take them?”

Yup, he was onto something. The age of digital photography was not far behind.

“Maybe the next thing will be printed photographs before you had a chance to take them,” my father quipped. “You just had to think about taking the picture… .”

Not quite there, father. But I should not find it shocking. You are not here to witness, but your sense that the world was speeding up was spot-on before. Maybe after the mind-reading cameras, ones will be made to let you know what was on your mind before you even thought it. Ha!

Or maybe we’d re-discover the virtue of slowing down, savoring, and yes, even waiting for what’s worth waiting for. What a revolutionary idea.

9 comments:

Johnell said...

I vote for slowing down.

Vijaya said...

Hehe ... your father was definitely forward-thinking. I've always wanted my book to be already written (by me, of course). Sigh. Some things take too long ... like writing good books.

Kelly Hashway said...

Everything does happen so quickly, doesn't it? Some things are worth waiting for, and those are usually the best things.

Anonymous said...

Love that song. I'm always saying I should slow down, but right now, for example, I've got to dash off to work, no choice (meaning, I should have gotten off this computer long ago...)

Leandra Wallace said...

I'm horrible w/getting pictures actually off my camera/computer and into printed form. Which is why I'd love to get a Polaroid. I have fond memories of taking them w/my grandmother's camera and flapping them around, waiting for a pic to appear. =)

Jenni said...

I'm with you. The world seems to be getting faster and faster. I think you need to be able to slow to really observe things--which makes for good writing.

Anonymous said...

Instant gratification is the biggest hallmark of our culture these days. And Jenni is 'write' right.

Marcia said...

I don't think anything's going to slow down, but I do think some people will live a slower life as a counterculture thing.

Ruth Schiffmann said...

I just love this age of digital photos. I always took tons of pictures and then had the rolls of film collecting in drawers by the dozens before I'd go get them developed.