Slow living and bench time
Park benches provide a reprive to hectic urban life
Slow mornings.
Sunday morning, the sky was clear and the warmth of the day was just starting to rise. I was walking the dog through one of our nearby parks to enjoy the view from the bench. It is my quiet time, usually not very crowded so one can get lost in one’s thoughts. As we left, a lady was coming towards us from the opposite direction. She carried a book in one arm and a coffee in the other hand. I knew where she was headed. What better way to ease into the day than with a good book, a hot drink and a brilliant view in the fresh air.
Blankenese
Soft socializing.
As we walked further, we passing the church in the district square with parishioners entering. Some of the older folks waited patiently on a bench to be escorted inside. Then we passed fathers picking up breakfast rolls with the little ones in strollers or walking hand in hand. The little ones could not wait wait to eat their franzbrotchen, so they sat on the nearby bench. All along the way, the families ran into friends and neighbors and had a short chat.
Softening focus.
Outdoor spaces, especially green ones, are calming. The health benefits of being outside, seeing the sun, focusing on the colors of green and blue, and breathing fresh air are well-known. I regularly get out of the house to walk and sit in the park. Some times I might even be on the phone to friends or colleagues. Other times, I just need a quiet place to think and clear my head. Studies say exposure to nature lowers cortisol levels and restores cognitive attention. In turn, this reduces anxiety and improves mental wellbeing. I can fully subscribe to this in my experience.
I finding it is an amazingly simple reset to stress or anxiety to just sit for a few minutes staring into nature. There is no app required, (unless you are using my parkbenchnearme.com to find a bench!) there is no cost to taking the space or the air, and there is no stigma in sitting and watching the world go by for a while. Allowing the mind to rest and visual adjust away from screen is part is a daily habit of slow living.