Once upon a time, there was a young rabbit named Ben who lived in a forest in beautiful Nova Scotia. Ben had always been a bit of a slowpoke, and he often felt like he was falling behind his friends and family. They would run and hop around the forest, always in a hurry to get somewhere. One day, Ben decided to try to keep up with his friends. He ran as fast as he could, trying to keep pace with his speedy companions. But no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t keep up. He quickly grew tired and out of breath, and he had to stop and rest.
As he sat there catching his breath, Ben realized that he didn’t have to try to keep up with anyone else. He was his own rabbit, with his own strengths and weaknesses. He didn’t have to compete with anyone else – he just had to do his best and if that result was different from the others, it did not mean he fell short. He realized that the only person he should consider competing with was himself.
From that day forward, Ben started taking life at his own pace. He still enjoyed running and hopping around the forest, but he didn’t push himself to keep up with anyone else. He took breaks when he needed to, and he enjoyed the scenery along the way. In the beginning, he grew a bit lonely and wondered if he should go back and try harder to keep up with his buddies.
Over time, Ben realized that there were benefits to taking life at his own pace. He was able to appreciate the beauty of the forest in a way that he never had before. He had time to stop and smell the flowers, and he discovered new paths and trails that he had never noticed before. He even started to make new friends. Other rabbits and squirrels and even people. These new friends accepted him as we was. He was not challenged or judged or even expected to keep up with them in fact, one, in particular, was happy to keep up with him.
They often sat together in companionable silence and communicated thru the heart. Her name was Tricia and while she did not look like him or move like him or even eat what he ate, she was always happy to have him share her picnic as she painted her watercolors. ( see above)
As they played and lay in the grass together, she taught him that ‘life was easy, life was fun’ when he wasn’t constantly trying to keep up with others and live by social norms. He was able to pursue his own interests and hobbies, and he found joy in the simple things.
Ben learned that taking life at your own pace is not a sign of weakness – it’s a sign of strength. By doing what feels right for you, you can find happiness and fulfillment in your own unique journey.
Life is not a race, and there’s no need to rush. Just take a deep breath, enjoy the moment, and keep moving forward at your own pace.