Reclaiming Tranquility Through Slow-Living

“The foundation of slow remains the same: a return to high-quality basics, a reevaluation of the largely unnecessary ‘must haves’ of modern life, and a focus on going small, local, and community based.”

Brooke McAlary

Slow Living- A Meaningful Life

I can clearly remember my life before I embraced a slow-living lifestyle. It looked like all of my children were in school, involved in many activities, and attending summer camps. We were constantly running all over the place. We had very little time for connectivity, and life was a whirlwind.

Through a series of eye-opening events, I purposely stepped back and decided to make my home our productive place. We would no longer rush to get on the school bus, eat on the go, attend every available opportunity, and no more summer camps.

I set up my home to serve my family- my kitchen became a working kitchen, I started homeschooling, and my soul experienced a meaningful sigh. I remember the feeling…the peace.

Everyone’s definition of slow living is different. Slow doesn’t necessarily mean physically slow or unproductive; it means focusing on doing less and better-building a life around fulfillment and meaning.

The three areas I strategically transformed to fit our slow lifestyle are:

• Home atmosphere
• Home education
• Food systems

Food Systems

One of the first areas I wanted to change and evaluate was our eating. I wanted to be good stewards of the earth and feed my family well, so we started a very simple garden. The garden became not only a place to source food but also a place for nature study, prayer, education, blessing others—the list could go on and on.

Productive Properties

Even a very small space can become more useful. We slowly transformed our manicured lawn into edible landscaping. Starting with planting the plants/ herbs/flowers, I cook and make tinctures/salves close to the house.

What is planted :

• French Thyme
• Genovese Basil
• French Lavender
• Oregano
• Catnip (for tea and toys we make for the cats)
• Mint (many varieties. Fresh mint is very refreshing in cold water in the hot summer 😉
• Chives
• Dill
• Cilantro ( I make fresh salsa very simply with Roma tomatoes, cilantro, onion, jalapeño, and lime juice~ the entire home smells so wonderful when we have fresh cilantro)
• Echinacea
• Bee Balm
• Feverfew
• Pepper ( I use a lot of cayenne pepper in my water; besides the health benefits, I like the feeling of a burn in my mouth)

Meal Planning

While I’ve always been a meal planner, it was new to me to plan multiple meals daily from scratch. Living frugally with a focus on genuinely nourishing food is a challenge. But I wanted to incorporate cooking with homeschooling-desiring my children to learn life skills and appreciate where their food comes from. Meal planning is critical to successful home management and frugality.

To counter a culture of convenience, my meal planning includes setting aside time to bake bread, having a weekly kitchen-focused day, and sourcing food that is nourishing and in sync with the seasons.

Home Atmosphere

As mentioned earlier, slow-living isn’t about physical movement but creating a fulfilling and meaningful life. I envision my home moving at a peaceful pace.

Addition By Subtraction

The world is constantly in a fast race for our attention. The other day, I was thinking about how information-heavy our current culture is. We are bombarded with information…too much information…about everything. To create a peaceful environment, we have to become gatekeepers of peace in our homes. Every family has different dynamics and personal beliefs. The stage of motherhood I am currently in involves young adults (over 18), teenagers, and then a big age gap to three younger children. (10, 7, 2 year old) I am in multiple stages of parenting and raising little ones all over again. In raising young children, less is more. Children feel secure with routine and sameness. So much of what we see marketed to our children is unneeded. Our days mostly revolve around meal times, chores, playtime, naps, and books. I’m very careful what my little ones see and hear…the type of appetites created.

Book Culture

As a young child, my parents made a big deal about books. In the homes I’ve lived in, they always turned an extra bedroom into a home library—walls of books. I was so influenced by my parents’ surrounding us with books. Although I was not homeschooled, our home environment was rich in education. I learned more at home reading than I ever did in school. More and more, it seems that reading takes more discipline as social media is such a fast replacement for entertainment. I, myself, am constantly battling that same urge. Creating a culture within your home of books changes the entire atmosphere.

Home Education

If quickly asked what my number one educational goal for my children is, it would be to love and see God in everything and to develop a true love for learning.

I found Charlotte Mason’s methods to fit our lifestyle so well.

When I first heard about Charlotte Mason 13 years ago, I was instantly drawn to her philosophy. My heart just knew she was right.

I was a young mom with two children in school, a toddler holding my hand, and a baby on the way. My idea of education was based on my own educational process. It came down to Learning something (whether I cared or not) and then taking a test. Charlotte Mason was the first person to come along and challenge my mind.

“The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

My mind was stretched that day and has never returned to its originality.

I learned:

Through unrushed freedom, children naturally learn and develop a deep love of learning.

The habits formed in the early years are more important than pre-school, it would take a huge effort on my part, but the rewards would make my days smoother.

“The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days.”

— Charlotte Mason

Taking my children to and around nature brought them closer to understanding the world and drove a desire to know more.

“What a child digs for becomes his own possession,”

— Charlotte Mason

Nature studies produce children with deep empathy for the living. Children learn to care as they truly observe life at the smallest level. The world of ants, the work of earthworms, and tree growth through the seasons are all considered educational instruments.

And Nature, the old nurse, took The child upon her knee, Saying: Here is a story-book Thy Father has written for thee.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Living Books open the mind and heart like no other. Allowing my children to hear or read a story and imagine walking a mile in someone else’s shoes gives unmatched value.

Let children have tales of the imagination, scenes laid in other lands and other times; heroic adventures, hairbreadth escapes, delicious fairy tales, even where it is all impossible, and they know it, and yet they believe.

Charlotte Mason

Nature and quality literature are the best resources you have.

Homeschooling has changed me. This was the most unexpected result of the journey. Homeschooling stretched me mentally, physically, and emotionally to places I’ve never been stretched—good and bad. I’ve gotten stronger through those times and began working on my own habits, my own education, and my own well-being. It still amazes me how this way of life has radically changed our home and life.

Embrace the process of the method…there are really hard days, and there are lovely days that make you stand back and tear up as you SEE your child’s mind open and expand. There is no equal value to witnessing that.

And remember…

Education, like faith, is the evidence of things not seen.

Charlotte Mason