Slow Pace of Life

You skip breakfast to beat rush hour traffic on your frenzied dash to work. You use the smartphone permanently grafted to your hand to check the endless stream of emails, while you’re stuck in line to get your first of ten daily coffees. Back on the road you make six new enemies, but despite your best efforts you arrive late. As you settle in for another hectic day at work you spend the first hour checking up on your Facebook friends just so you won’t have to deal with all the stuff lurking on your double sided to-do list…

I am sure you know the feeling. Life is flying by, you can hardly keep up and there seems to be no time to actually enjoy it. It’s ironic how we constantly come up with new technological means to save us time, yet we use that time to do more and thus make our lives even busier and fast-paced than they already were. Relax, we’ve got the solution for you!

Setting lobster traps
Setting lobster traps

The Bay of Fundy is the perfect location to experience life in the slow lane. Although much gets done in a day, people are unhurried, there are no crowds and the lifestyle is set at a calm pace. Take time to appreciate your surroundings, the clean, cool air and the breathtaking, natural beauty. Friendly locals will help you acclimatize to this way of life.

One of those locals is Bill, an ex-Montrealer, who came to New Brunswick in early 1996. Bill tells us when he and his wive first arrived the slow pace presented its own unique challenges for them:

“When they say ‘slow lane’ they really mean it here,” moaned my wife Susan while we turned off on one of the rural side roads. “Imagine this, the speed limit says 60km and that is exactly what this guy is doing. What is the matter with him?”

But they quickly adapted and now, after 15 years of living in the slow lane, they are still thoroughly enjoying it.

“How refreshing to experience when store doors are held open as a manner of common courtesy, when cars stop the moment there is the slightest indication of someone wanting to cross a street, when vehicles slow down allowing other divers to enter a line up without blowing their horns, and many such things. This relaxing and courteous lifestyle is even palpable in such institutions such as the Regional Hospital where we experienced nothing but professionalism, kindness and utmost care.”

They now talk with pride to all those living in the fast lane and share that living the Bay of Fundy lifestyle means you will take time to enjoy whatever you’re doing, and above all, to appreciate nature. Many of us spend the majority of our time locked up in our offices, homes, and cars. We rarely come outside anymore, and when we do, we’re constantly on our cellphones.

Sea Kayaking on the Bay of Fundy
Enjoy a slow kayak on the Bay of Fundy

When you’re in the Bay of Fundy, do as the locals and spend your day outside. Experience the feeling of joy that comes from really observing nature and take a deep breath of truly fresh air. Enjoy the endless number of outdoor activities the Bay of Fundy offers, such as nature walks, sea kayaking, whale watching, and more. The Bay of Fundy is the ideal place to get back in touch with yourself and feel the sensations of water, wind and earth against your skin.

Slowing down leads to more happiness and a greater appreciation for life. So take your time and come visit us this summer for a life altering experience!

This article is part of our “52 Reasons” series. So check out the next reason: Loyalist Heritage, or last week’s reason: St. John’s Reversing Rapids. We also encourage you to take a look at the overview of all the articles in this series and to use our RSS feed so you won’t miss any further articles!

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