11 Comments
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Wendy Mengel's avatar

Dang, Ashley, I LOVE this. "Who licensed this woman to drive before her time" made me laugh out loud because I've been there! And I loved your image of following the speed limit with your family, peace, marriage. So good.

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ashley d. holston's avatar

Thanks, Wendy!! So glad it resonated.

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Olivia Lake's avatar

This really captures the feelings of racing to the next thing and looking around at where everyone else is in “the race” of life, yet everything happens in its time so we can’t actually rush ahead. Very beautifully written!

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ashley d. holston's avatar

Exactly that. Thanks, Olivia!!

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Ashley L Case's avatar

SO good, Ashley!! I having been writing/journaling about this same theme.

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Aly Prades's avatar

I loved listening to this! So much good stuff in here—the rhythm, the metaphor, the reminder to slow down. Thank you!

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Kim Lilley's avatar

I LOVE the flow and pace of this poem. It's amazing what we attempt to cram into our lives even when we know it's not the season... feeling many pieces of this poem right now.

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Elizabeth Vanderhorst's avatar

"The avoid the gaze" line made me laugh because when I'm the rusher, I always think of this Kermit meme that says, "me looking at the person to see if they look as stupid as they drive."😅 convicting. I had a conversation with a friend yesterday while I was driving and I was telling her that I'm learning to lean into "This pace might just be God's protection. And I would hate to put myself in a situation because I rushed that."

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Sadie Marian Yergler's avatar

I love following the idea of following the speed limit with your marriage, kids, and peace! This is such a creative piece of writing!

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Tyece Wilkins-Amadi's avatar

When I read “why does it seem like everyone else gets to go first?” I went “Mmmmm.” I’m always pretty amazed by poetry and the substance that is able to be extracted from just a few words; your piece is the epitome of that.

This poem also reminded me of a Cheryl Strayed quote: “Travel by foot. There is so much you can’t identify at top speed.”

Really really glad to have stumbled upon you and your work by way of the Blog Hop!

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Lindsay Fauver's avatar

Stunning.

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