Slow Down

A short story about my trip to Costa Rica in February 2022

English Level: B1 🇨🇦

Full Transcript

2021 was one of the most difficult years of my life. My wife dealt with serious health issues, I worked non-stop, and there was a little situation called the pandemic that affected us all.

By December, I was more than exhausted.

On Jan. 24, 2022 I flew down to Costa Rica. It was my first time back in seven years.

I was welcomed by a comforting breeze and stars that shone like a sun reflected lake. My first trip was to the Caribbean where the ocean embraced me and quietly whispered, “calm down, Jorge”. The monkeys in the trees reminded me to play. A sloth hanging on a tree above me said, “slow down”.

My next trip was to the hot springs beside the volcano Arenal. My heart rate decreased as I moved through the warm water. The constant sound of flowing water put my mind at ease, and I breathed it all in.

The rest of my time was spent with family and friends. Years had gone by but love for each other remained. I had deep conversations, and silly ones as well. I laughed so often my belly hurt. I hugged more people there than I had in the previous two years combined.

When was the last time you felt completely at ease? When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried? When was the last time you looked someone deep in the eyes and said, “I love you”?

Dear friends, let me remind you of something you might have forgotten, “you are not a machine. It’s ok to slow down, sometimes.”

Vocabulary Words

exhausted (adj.): erschöpft
comforting (adj.): beruhigend
embrace (verb): umarmen
constant (adj.): ständig
silly (adj.): albern

Phrases to Remember

deal with: When you deal with something or someone that needs attention, you give your attention to them, and often solve a problem or make a decision concerning them.
to be at ease: to (someone) feel calm and relaxed
remind someone of something: to cause (someone) to remember (something)

Question to consider

When was the last time you felt completely at ease?

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