Slow Dance

A timeless poem from David L. Weatherford: 'Hear the music before the song is over'

Hi friends & happy Sunday,

A short note to share today — mostly about how fleeting life is and how precious our existence truly is.

Recently, I spoke with my uncle Mitchell, who is 72. He said something that struck me: He feels his life of more than 70 years has “gone by in a blink.” Many others feel that way. I know I do.

“It all goes by so fast,” some might say. As Ferris Bueller said nearly 40 years ago, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Putting ourselves “in the moment” doesn’t come easily in the modern age. It requires effort to pause, look around, and see what’s good — to value presence over productivity. In that spirit, here’s “Slow Dance” by David L. Weatherford. As the author illustrates, life is one big dance, and we ought to come to appreciate the little moments where we can. The poem resonated deeply with me, and I hope you enjoy it, too.

Slow Dance

Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?

Or listened to the rain
Slapping the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down
Don’t dance so fast.

Time is short.
The music won’t last.

Do you run through each day
On the fly?

When you ask: How are you?
Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done,
Do you lie in your bed

With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?

You’d better slow down.
Don’t dance so fast.

Time is short.
The music won’t last.

Ever told your child,
We’ll do it tomorrow?

And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die

Cause you never had time
To call and say, “Hi”?

You’d better slow down
Don’t dance so fast.

Time is short.
The music won’t last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through the day,
It is like an unopened gift thrown away.

Life is not a race.
Do take it slower.

Hear the music
Before the song is over.

---

Parting thought: "No one has ever become poor by giving." — Anne Frank  

Parting question: At some point, the song will be over for all of us. So, if you know what you want, why are you waiting?

Celebrate your gifts,

Matthew

P.S. — Thank you for reading and trusting me with these words, a privilege I don’t take lightly. If Inner Peace has helped you in some way, please consider forwarding this email to someone you care about.