Good
afternoon from Barcelona. I'm sitting at such a beautiful place right now in
suburbios, at our second location of the day and all is well. I am so happy to
have had this opportunity to see this city and for the first time in forever,
be truly present in what I am doing.
In New York, I am almost always taking on more than I can handle. From hustling for work to double booking myself for everything from plans with friends to projects, I'm constantly in a race to keep up with myself. But right now, I am happy that this is very much "it"- no other projects, no distractions, and no constant stream of emails. The gift of being present is one we almost are never able to give ourselves, and it's something we often don't think about in the States. In fact, every PR statement from every ad agency like object these days is all about being "fast". Is fast always better? What the hell is wrong with slowing down? Fast food is never better for one thing. And I can think of plenty of things that are done better slowly. Like breathing. Or kissing. Or a million other things.
At the risk of sounding like a clichéd American, life may very well be better elsewhere where slow and steady is the norm. Life is short as we know, but that does not mean we should rush to do absolutely everything. In my New York life, I rush to wake up, rush to work out, rush to eat, rush to shower, rush to get to Manhattan, rush to pick up my dog, rush to anything and everything. So when in a place like Barcelona where you are forced to adapt to the slower way of doing things, it really helps to preserve this gift of presence. And I am going to try my best when I get back home to be clear and in the moment and not constantly look around the corner like a Navy seal looking for snipers. Basically, our lives in New York are like a much safer version of "The Hurt Locker"- where we are constantly dodging proverbial landmines and almost always on high alert. It's true life is full of surprises, but to have the chance to get things done in an atmosphere that feels less like a war zone has been nothing short of miraculous. It's been a while I've felt that way for sure. And it's no wonder I often feel so unclear, unintentioned, and aimless.
So if you've been following my travels on Instagram, you no doubt have noticed my joy at savoring food, watching people, and generally enjoying every moment, and in the moment. I appreciate my life in New York more than I can explain but really- the pace can exhaust and deplete and since I'm not much of a runner, my soul and body ache from that constant marathon called life. Maybe I need to walk a mile or two more often and stop trying to beat my best time. And for now, I'm just going to bask in my final days here- working with an excellent crew, seeing beautiful places, and eating gorgeous food and having that additional glass of wine. I'm sure the second I land back in the US of A, I'm going to forget all of this new magical thinking of presence- but a girl can only hope to take some of this slowing down to enjoy the moment with me. And maybe we can even share a moment or two together over a long lunch or dinner, just to rebel against the constant rush of city life. In the words of one of my favorite Stones song, "I'm gonna walk before they make me run". Look at my homie above- he's not rushing. And I think he's pretty cool with that. I don't want to get too old before I embrace a bit of the slow vibes. Because I suck at running and that's the truth.
Cause that's what's up this very moment in Barcelona. Yours, in Stones songs, great oysters, and taking a clear and present moment. XO