When Life Speeds Up in the Best Way

For a long time, I thought my life was going to slow down. After receiving a diagnosis of schizophrenia, I imagined the rest of my days would be quiet and still—filled with old TV shows, puzzles, and the occasional walk if I felt up to it. I thought I was preparing for a gentle descent into the background.

But something unexpected happened. My life started to pick up speed.

I found myself working a job I love, attending community luncheons, comedy shows, and happy hour Bible studies. I’m planning to take guitar classes at the local art center and getting involved with Altrusa, a service organization I admire deeply. My calendar has begun to fill—not with burdens, but with joy.

It’s surprising, really. I once believed a quiet, isolated life was all I could handle, but I was wrong. What I really needed was connection. As soon as I stepped out of a relationship that had kept me closed off and mostly indoors—understandable in the winter, but still not quite right—I felt a shift. A pull into something more.

At first, I thought that "more" was launching a business. But that didn’t feel right. Then I tried volunteering at a local domestic violence shelter, but the opportunity didn’t materialize. Still, the pull didn’t go away.

Instead, I started saying yes to visits, gatherings, and classes. And as I’ve begun to show up more in the world, I’ve felt something I hadn’t in a long time: groundedness. Centeredness. Purpose.

My life isn’t what I expected, but it’s better in so many ways. I’m realizing that slowing down isn’t always the answer. Sometimes, it’s about moving at the speed of joy.

Reflection: Where in your life have you assumed stillness was the only path forward? Could God be inviting you into movement—not out of pressure, but out of renewal?