A certain pattern has played out behind the scenes in my life for years. It has to do with pace. I’ve found that the natural pace of life differs from the time schedule by which the world runs. Three times this week, I had to decide whether to tend the moment as it unfolded or ignore that service to be on time.
First, after attending a business meeting in Manhattan, I called a friend who works nearby to meet for lunch. She joined me at a health food store just as I was locating a hard-to-find supplement. We then walked to Grand Central Terminal in search of salmon rolls.
As we stood eating at the counter, comparing the food quality to the last time we bought from this vendor, our conversation turned to a challenging situation in her life. I flowed with the natural rhythm that comes from listening. But at one point, I realized I wasn’t going to make the deadline I’d set for my trip home. I had two important errands to run after the hour trip to reach my car. I chose to put aside my planned schedule to remain in the moment, and our dialogue continued to its natural conclusion.
I walked to the subway, calculating my new estimated time of arrival. Suddenly, something told me to check the supplements I’d purchased at the store. While the name on the bottle was correct, the fine print was not. I’d purchased a slightly different formula than intended—for myself and a friend. So again, I had to decide: do I continue on, trying to make up for lost time, or do I return to the store for an exchange? Though it meant further delay, I went back to the store. By some miracle, I still ended up with enough time at day’s end to run the essential errands before returning home.
A few days later, I was tested a third time on this point. As I exited the pet store on a bitter cold afternoon, I was stopped by someone asking if I had jumper cables. Yes, I said, what time is it? But in a heartbeat, I knew I’d help, even if it meant being late for my client meeting. The young couple didn’t know how to use jumper cables, so I talked them through the instructions while we shivered in the wind. Acid corrosion on their battery terminal prevented us from starting the car. But now they knew their next step, and I was free to drive home for my videoconference.
In this case, my client ended up running late, so all worked out. What does that tell me? Before there was time, there was a rhythm in the hearts of people. When we follow this rhythm, maybe time itself shifts. Our minds release their grip, we experience a greater trust, and we choose to move at the pace of love.