Haste Slowly

After attending a six hour workshop today, I went out into the fresh air and decided to walk a little before getting a taxi to my car and returning back to the office.

I walked to Syntagma Square where I read the signs of doctors protesting and past the Parliament just in time to watch the changing of the guard. The weather was perfect so I thought I’d continue walking a little further. I was admiring the buildings I was passing by in Vasilissis Sofias avenue: the Museum of Cycladic Art, the Byzantine Museum, Saroglion Mansion and many more. Then I noticed the beauty of the Ippokrateio Hospital entrance, built in the 1880’s, and green areas of the city that are impossible to notice passing by in a car.

I was smiling enjoying every step of the walk when I made a decision: I was going to walk to the car! The idea was crazy, I had parked 5,5 km away and still had plenty of work unfinished for today. 

I remembered the big lesson I had learned from my niece: eventually I would get to the car; I would get there in the most fun and meaningful way.

So I kept walking with eyes wide open and a big smile on my face.

I passed by little squares with statues, parks and hidden gardens of whose existence I was unaware. I was contemplating the details on some doors, the variations of a skyline occupied by old and new constructions, the people who were passing by: walking, jogging, smoking, carrying kids or puppies. I was hearing Greek and English and Spanish and was feeling comfortable with and curious about the diversity of a city where I could find neo-byzantine churches and Bauhaus embassies next to Pakistani grocery stores, neoclassical buildings and Starbucks.

I saw a well inside the garden of what seemed to be an abandoned house and the rusty sign of the Nursing Home. I saw beauty in every step.

90 minutes later I made it to the car, grateful for my choice of flat heels this morning and realized that today's to-do list had been replaced this afternoon by the important. The urgent didn’t seem so urgent anymore.

Note to self: 
Haste slowly more often. Time will always be enough.