I had a talk with a friend the other day, and talked about how I’m currently slowing down in life, giving things time and space to emerge. About how life sometimes gives you things that you don’t instantly want, but can choose to accept. That you can choose to step up for, and accept the invitation that the scenarios are.
Something I’m partly struggling with right now, and have struggled hugely with in my past, is to slow down. To embrace the summer and that people are leaving for vacation. To embrace the different tempo that days seem to go by.
This year, I’ve stepped up to the invitation. I’ve accepted how things are, and I’ve realised that I’ll have a much better time if I accept my pains as invitations. In this specific case, I see them as invitations to practice patience. To see the benefit of slowing down.
And I instantly think about Grenouille, the character of “The Perfume”. Grenouille is constantly looking to learn new ways in which you can distill fragrances and scents. Everything from the air around us, to the “human scent”. He humbly takes positions in different perfumeries in which he’s not treated well, just to learn the methods.
From the outside, the conditions look horrible. He’s mistreated and cheated more than once. The perfume masters in many ways abuse his talents as a perfume maker. He doesn’t care, because that’s not his focus. He’s looking to what he can learn, he sees an invitation.
Regardless of the situation, of the conditions around you, they are invitations as well. They can be many more things as well, but they are always invitations.
What are you currently being invited to?