You probably imagined an adult of some authority making that command as you read the title of this little life nugget. Good. They were encouraging you in a timeless truth. It is one that we really should apply to our everyday lives. Stop, Look and Listen is another great lesson…we will get to that one another time. Our culture and world at large would have you rushing hither and yon to “try” to accomplish more and more, while the reality is that you would only get to the end of this journey with disappointment, utter exhaustion and a pile of regret as a reward for your sprinting.

The fact is that the more you hurry, the further behind you're going to get, with greater agitation. It is true. The only thing that increases is your blood pressure and your longing to simply stop completely and have a solitary moment to catch your breath. So, heed this exhortation: Walk…do not run…through your life, through your days, through your thoughts, through your praise. Be intentional, mindful and observant.

There is a plethora of sweet things that are missed when we rush around. Whether that is a simple genuinely kind, life building word. It could be the gentle, fragrant aroma from those stunning flowers flourishing along your sidewalk or pathway. If you become more mindful as you walk, not run, through your life you can bend and dance with the inevitable changes that will arise. Therefore, when an abrupt “not what I had in mind” crashes into your schedule, it will not result in a “wrecking of the day”; it will simply be a catalyst for turning down another way. An opportunity to grow in peaceful surrender to our Sovereign Good Shepherd. He Who never ran, nor hurried, nor acted in any way apart from talking & listening to His Father and ours. This is the example we are to follow. Walk, don’t run. Talk and listen, don’t presume.

Healthy living takes intentional time and healthy growth can never be rushed. It is moment by moment, peaceful dialogues of give, receive, then do. To have a fruitful dialogue one must not only just hear the words spoken, but we must truly receive their meaning in listening to them with intentionality. Afterward, we begin chewing on it and digesting, while reflecting on the speaker and their intonation, character, and intentions. Only after that process, should you then act/move/walk with purposeful response to what you received, Take the time to be deliberate and mindful, and you will see the abundance of blessings that will flourish before you. You will miss it all - if you choose to hurry and run, hither and yon. I implore you to “Walk, don’t run.”