Slow Down

I had some paperwork for a client to sign today.  I sat with him and the papers and handed him a pen.  I told him to sign on each page.  He carefully and thoughtfully signed on each page.  He signature was slow, deliberate, and I found myself starting to get irritated that his signature wasn't quick and fast like mine.  He had just finished the first page when I would have been done by now.  He handed me the first page and I looked down.  He had the most beautiful handwriting, his signature was a piece of art.  I looked over as he signed the next page.  His pen moved across gracefully and he wrote clearly every letter in his name.  It was as if he was typing his name into Word and using a fancy font.  

As I watched him sign each page I became memorised.  The pen was dancing on the paper and I was envious of the detail it recorded.  I wished my own hands could create writing that beautiful.  He handed me the last page and I signed away.  My scribble.  Just a quick flick of the pen, done, next.  It doesn't even look like my name, it doesn't even look like my initials just a scribble my dog could have drawn with a pen in his mouth.  

When I sat back at my desk after he had left I looked at my notes.  There was my messy handwriting all over the page.  My penmanship says one thing about me.  Rushed.  Or maybe the correct word is impatient.  If I make a mistake, misspell a word for example, I just cross it out and write next to it or above it.  I do not have the patience to bother with white out.  I don't have the patience to make it neat either.  Just like school.  Most of the girls had girly handwriting and took the time to put little love hearts in their "i" 's.  Not me.  I wrote too hard and fast my hand would cramp up.  And here I am and nothing has changed.  I type whenever I can because it is less strain on my hand, and it is neater and faster.  And has spellcheck.

My client made me pause and reflect.  He has terminal cancer, not long to go and he still took the time to sign his name with care and attention.  Maybe it is time I did the same.  A reminder to make time each day to step away from this instant world and pause.  Do something with care, with attention, with detail and with pride.  Stop rushing trying to capture everything and do everything, but instead pick out the important bits, and do them well, with patience, to ensure a beautiful result each time.