Slowing the Pace of the Frenzied Life

   Slow down. Take a deep breath. Do you find yourself or those that you know living overwrought, frenetic lives? Are you distracted and weary? Do you spend too much time in the car? Are you consumed with guilt at the thought of taking a bit of time for yourself with nothing particular in mind?

   Ask yourself when was it was that you last curled up in bed or on the sofa with a good book, or even better yet, wrote a letter to someone that you love. Have you forgotten how to doodle? Or are scared to try to craft that poem or are you too busy to take the time to write down the hymn you love so well and tuck it someplace special? Do these just sound like guilty pleasures that you cannot allow yourself to indulge? Sadly, our culture has lost the art of rest. We are constantly in motion from dawn to dusk. The notion of productivity rules much of our day. It's time to put the phone on mute, forget where the car keys reside, turn off the computer, ignore the laundry, and do what it takes to take a break. To stop.

   I dare you to set aside the tasks at hand. Sit in silence for just a few minutes. Become aware of your own breathing. Then let the random thoughts come. Go with them.

    Perhaps there really is a special someone who needs to be reminded that you still care about them and a handwritten note (not an email) is the only thing that will suffice. Or better yet, maybe it is finally time for you to dig out that journal and begin once again to record the refrain or the jumble of words that are continually running through your mind.

   There is no time like the present.  Grab a cup of coffee, take a seat and join with me in celebrating the singular beauty of the written word.

You might want to begin with a hand-made book like this one from The Nib and Quill

Add some vintage calligraphy pens from Birdie Vintage Home on Etsy

Add a Victorian inkwell, of course. (From Corvidae Curiosity)

And then some lovely inks. This particular ink is handmade from acorns and 

is the same type of ink that was used long ago to sign the Declaration of Independence.

You can totally go old school and even sharpen your own feather quills if you wish.

Round your desktop out with this lovely antique ink blotter from ArtinBoxes

And if you somehow find yourself lacking inspiration, here are some ideas to help you get started

Source: etsy.com via Kathy on Pinterest

Source: ornamelle.com via Lindsay on Pinterest

Source: resistenza.es via Jim on Pinterest

Source: tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com via Kathy on Pinterest

   Are you with me yet?

Source: friendsoftype.com via Sam on Pinterest

Source: typographicverses.com via Alida on Pinterest

 Even He knew when to rest.

Oh, and a Bic pen and a sheet of notebook paper will work just fine!