When you slow down,
what do you notice?
The way light falls
on an ordinary wall?
The soft murmur
of a day unfolding?
The breath
you didn’t know
you were holding?
When you notice,
what do you see,
hear,
feel?
Do you see
the little things
that were always there,
waiting patiently
for your attention?
Do you hear
the silence
between sounds,
the quiet rhythm
of your own heart
returning to itself?
Do you feel
the moment,
the way it moves
just as it is,
not as a burden to carry
or a chore to be done?
What stays with you?
A color,
a sound,
a memory,
a feeling
you can’t quite name?
What do you want
to notice again,
to feel again?
And when you return
to the rush of life,
will a part of you
remember
to slow down
once more?
This piece is written in response to the three hundred and fifth edition of Fiction Monday inspired by the word prompt – NOTICE hosted by yours truly. Do join in if you have a tale to tell.
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Beyond Scribbles 
Aww! This is SO beautiful, Vinitha! It’s worth reflecting what we notice when we slow down. This poem will remind me to notice the things I try to squeeze in during my rush hours 🙂 For example, the chirping of the sparrows when they visit my balcony, the distant singing of the cuckoo or the bulbuls…so many things, actually! When I slow down, I am usually lost in my thoughts, visualising an artwork I need to create, or visiting the past or wondering about the future.
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You caught me there – I was holding my breath. I try to breathe often, but still it’s a reminder that I need.
I love the slow mornings, they are not many, but love it when I wake up to one. It’s such a conscious feeling this slow living. Reading yours made me breathe in a much relaxed way like the remembering the feeling of everything around me.
such a lovely reminder Vinitha. ❤️
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It seems we both went in the same direction with our poems this time. But while I chose to explore our attitude towards the outer landscape of nature, you masterfully leaned into personal feelings and inner experiences.
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This is so beautiful. It tempts me to slow down and sit.
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