The most important lesson I’ve learned from having O is to slow down. I am a speedy person. I walk, talk and work fast. When I hike, I like to get places.

O does not operate that way. She wants stop and play with a jar of eau de toilette, roll a stroller up and down an aisle, pull play shoes off a shelf in the toy store (is she my child or what?). When I put some coconut hand cream on both of us, I think we had a Girl Bonding moment. She seemed freaked out at first and then put her hand up to my face for me to smell the coconut.

When we went into the toy store, she played with the footballs for a long time. Whereas normally I would walk all over the store to see everything, she stayed in one place to play with one toy. I was itching to get moving and took a deep breath and stayed put and enjoyed the moment. I find myself learning this lesson of being present (and slowing down) again and again.

I wonder how that lesson can be applied to writing.