Cheerful Life // Embracing Things that Take Time

Last week, I bought a juicer.

Not a $100-I’m-going-to-try-this-and-see-if-I-like-it juicer.

I bought a freaking beast/machine that likes to be fed green leafy vegetables, the kind that you have to learn to like (and that I have yet to acquire a taste for). A purchase that my husband was hesitant to agree to because I have been known to fall in love with ideas and then give up practicing them when the novelty wears off and the effort to keep going becomes too great – namely, it takes too much time.

And juicing does take time. The entire process of preparing the fruits and vegetables, making the juice, and cleaning up* is at least an hour. Which is exactly 59 minutes more than I have patience for when preparing any meal, and most especially breakfast, which happens to be my favorite time for juice.

*I’m hoping that cleanup will become easier with practice. The first few juicing attempts resulted in an explosion of carrot-pulp confetti (which found it’s way onto every surface of the kitchen), using every bowl in our arsenal in an attempt to find one that could contain excessive amounts of juice we weren’t prepared for, and adventures in pouring juice into a narrow-mouthed bottle without a funnel (choosing not to do this over the sink was a terrible oversight). Neat freaks, do not try this at home.

But one week in, and I’m totally and completely hooked. Not just on the juice, but also on the process. I like being hands-on with my food, feeling the textures, enjoying the brilliant colors. I like watching it turn into a life-giving, energizing liquid. I like having a clean sink when it’s all done. Even though it feels like it takes over my entire morning.

Because I’m learning that some things just take time, and that the effort it takes to give of my time makes those things worth it.

It’s like yoga or taking a walk, two other regular practices that feel indulgent when it comes to using time. You can wish them to be over and done faster, but then you’re missing the point.

There’s happiness to be found in embracing things that take time – the hour it takes to stop rushing around and enjoy a simple pleasure in life, slowing down to do something the leisurely way, intentionally allowing a practice you love to keep you from an hour of being productive simply because it makes you feel more alive.

It’s so hard to remember that life is not about how much you can do in a day (although I push boundaries on that way more often than I’d like to admit).

It’s about savoring the moments and practices that bring you joy.

PS. I haven’t made many juices yet, but so far my favorite has been Gwenyth’s green juice and a yummy carrot + apple + lemon + ginger juice. Updates to come, but in the mean time, this has been my go-to guide for juicing.