Max-Q

Kristina Talbot shares how she was moved from the rush of a disorienting morning to slow down and reset.

Yesterday was one of those days. It started earlier than planned (2am fever from one of our kids) and took off from there. The early morning disruption generated some disorientation from the grounding daily rhythm by which I typically start my day. As a result, between work and family demands, I was coming in hot to the grocery store to get a few supplies and necessary provisions.

From the moment I walked in, it was as though I had stepped into a slow-motion Matrix in which everyone was moving a quarter of the speed I desired. Every aisle I turned down, every item I needed to reach was met with a person moving tortoise like to my White Rabbit pace. It should come as no surprise then that when it came time to check out, I found myself in that line. You know the one with the person disputing a coupon and needing someone to do an aisle check as well as calling for a manager. That was the line I was in as the seconds turned to minutes and my patience was nowhere to be found. As my blood pressure began to increase, there emerged within me a simple whisper that said, ‘slow down.’

In that moment of recognition, the element of choice reemerged into my mind. I could choose to be frustrated by the wait, or I could lean into the moment and give myself permission to slow down. As I began to take a few deep breaths and give thanks, I could feel relief come over my body as I gave myself some reassurances that it needed, “you’re here now; everyone is okay; you are not late to anywhere; take this opportunity to slow down and catch your breath.” This simple moment reset my day and allowed me to walk out with more than the items in my bags, peace was restored.

Be still and know I am God.

Ps 46:11

The pace of life these days feels as though I am running at Max Q. Living on the Space Coast which launches vehicles into space weekly, the streaming broadcast always announces this singular moment in a launch. Max Q is the moment where the rocket experiences the maximum stress upon its structure and is something accounted for in the design of each vehicle launched. Structurally, rockets must be able to endure this moment to launch into orbit. But what if structurally, we in our humanity are not made to live at Max Q as frequently as our lives demand?

One of the wonders of my work as a therapist is that I can really sit and be present with people. Often, the most powerful moments happen not within the context of words but rather in the stillness that comes from attunement to the moment of silence necessary for healing to occur. In these moments of silence, something happens that in fact words cannot encompass.

Lately, what my days have revealed is that many of us are moving too fast to experience the gift of the fulfillment of our needs. The pacing of our lives is such that there isn’t time to be still until our head hits the pillow and our eyes close in sheer exhaustion. As a result, there is an increase in anxiety, loneliness, depression, and a collective numbing out that many are experiencing.

“A thief comes only to steal and to slaughter and destroy;

I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

John 10:10

The distractions and lies of the world steal our joy and our peace. But yet, when we embrace stillness and recall that the Lord’s promises, we may be reminded of the open access we have to him no matter where we find ourselves throughout our days. Whether in the grocery store line or a stop in nature to catch a glimpse of beauty, we each have opportunities to slow down and recalibrate. Perhaps in so doing we may not only find more peace, but also deliver deeper love to those in greatest need amongst us.