This is my little corner of the web.  It’s a quiet corner.  So many people today try desperately to keep up a frantic, high-octane, always-connected pace of life.  But several years ago, I resolved to slow down and live life at a pace that seemed more natural.  I’m not quite there yet, but I am on my way–and that’s what this website will be about: where I’ve come from, where I’m at, where I’m going, and most of all, why.

You are more than welcome to join me on this journey.  So take a deep, cleansing breath and replenish your favorite beverage–you’re among friends.  Let’s start with a setting; I think the following image captures where I want to be:

"Come on in, dinner's almost ready!"

Picture yourself coming up the walkway of this cabin at the end of a long day’s journey.  The sun is rapidly receding, although the forest–in full autumn plumage–still glows.  As you approach, you hear music and laughter from inside.  The air has been warm, but there’s a hint of a chill now, accompanied by a delightful blend of cooking smells.  Waiting inside are close friends.  You are expected, and you know that after a delicious dinner and some happy conversation in front of the fireplace, there will be a warm bed and a quiet night.

This is the essence of slowing down: taking the time to be.  Instead of “drive-by” communication, there’s time to really listen to one another.  Friendships, well-tended, grow and deepen.  The spiritual self gathers strength and, in the quiet eddy that slowing down creates, the moral compass finds true north again.  The nature of “work” changes, becoming more like a hobby than a chore.  And, within this frame of mind, we can help others to make the same transition–whether leading by example or more direct means.

Interested?  Unbelieving?  Somewhere in between?  Yeah, me too.  If it was easy, everyone would do it–but I maintain that anyone can, by changing their frame of mind, change everything else about their life.  I am far from mastery, but I can look back and see where I started from and I know that life is better now.  How much better can it get?  I’ve no idea, but I mean to find out.

Over time, I hope to make this site a resource for people trying to do what I’m doing.  First, I need to learn to add entries on a very regular basis, so as to create a context for what I’m describing.  I promise to make that effort in the hope that others find the trail to their own log cabin easier to find and follow.

To read my ramblings so far, take a look at my blog: http://straightfromthejohn.info/blog.