The Beauty of Slow Mornings: Walking Through Grief, Gratitude, and Grace

I come from a family of walkers - slow walkers.

My maternal grandmother never got her drivers license. When I came around, she lived in downtown Detroit and walked everywhere. She walked slowly, taking in the sounds of the city streets, looking at the leaves on the trees, paying attention to the birds and what sounds they made, smelling the flowers and greeting the people. She understood that life was to be experienced and not something that just passes you by. 

My parents would wake up early in the morning and walk our dogs. Sometimes they walked alone. Sometimes they walked together. Sometimes they walked with a group of people. No matter the weather, the day of the week or the agenda they had; it was important to them to get outside and walk. 

In this season of my life, I find myself walking more and walking slow. My favorite time to walk is first thing in the morning, when the air is brisk and the sun is low. I don’t walk with any technology; no phone, no smartwatch, no headphones. I just walk with God and my dog. I find myself paying attention to all of the sounds I hear. My dog is still but a puppy and a lot of the sounds are new to her. This is her first fall. This is her first experience with crunchy leaves. This is her first experience with dew on the grass. This is her first experience of flowers fading and trees becoming bare. This is her first experience of birds flying away and squirrels collecting acorns. This is my first time too, experiencing this day with these smells, these cars, these squirrels, these leaves, this air. 

Growing up, my mom would always say “your birthday is every day”. It was something my grandmother told she and her siblings in an effort to tach them to cherish the day better. Each day is a new birth as you are granted another opportunity to live your daydreams. Each new day is a blank canvas to choose the life you want and create the memories you desire. It’s not about just crossing things off of a to do list or e-mailing clients. It’s not just about making another cake or filling another order. It’s about living each and every moment on purpose and allowing the day to be slow and full. 

October is a challenging month for me. It starts with Chipmunk’s birthday, followed by my wedding anniversary, a reminder of my mother’s brain surgery and the impending month of November when my husband was diagnosed with cancer and my mother died. This October was even more challenging as I experienced my third perfect ten, without my perfect ten. My husband and I wed on October 10, 2020. Mathematically, it was the perfect date as I was his perfect ten and he was mine. This year, however, was my third October 10th without him. We had three October 10ths together and have now had three apart. I tried to busy myself for the day, not respecting the slowness of the moments as I typically would It wasn’t until I listened to the song “Brown Eyes” by Destiny’s Child that I really sat in the feelings of the day. 

People often tell me I need to heal or I need to get over it. Grief doesn’t work like that. For me, grief feels as if I am living in slow motion. Every day, I can feel each of the twenty four hours of the day as they pass me by. No matter how amazing the day, there is a weight of it that I can not shake. I feel the void where his voice softly entered the room. I miss the glow his smile made to light up every space. I laugh at his laugh and how it echoed off of every wall. I fill up with joy from the consideration, generosity and kindness he exuded. 

And, when I realize I have awaken to another quiet morning; I am grateful for another opportunity to add a page to the legacy book of him. I am grateful to continue to write my mom’s story. I am grateful that I was born into such a legacy and lineage that continues to remind me of the beauty of the slowness and the beauty of the mornings. 

Take time, today, to take up space, slowly. Enjoy the moment. Enjoy the hour. Enjoy the season and the day. Take it all in. Experience it. For, this is the only moment you will ever have. 

Be well.

-g.

If this reflection spoke to your heart, I invite you to join me in community at Terri’s Detroit. Healing happens in connection—and sometimes that begins with slowing down together.

Explore our upcoming classes and gatherings below and reserve your spot today.

Written by Garnet Terri — honoring legacy, embracing purpose, and finding peace in the process.

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If this reflection spoke to you, I invite you to continue your own journey of becoming — in community. At Terri’s Detroit, we create spaces to learn, connect, and grow through creativity and care.

Join us for one of our upcoming classes or vendor events and take your next step toward joy.

(Upcoming calendar below — reserve your spot today.)

Oct. 12: Cake Decorating Class (Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan)

Oct. 18: Cake Decorating Class (Jack and Jill of America, Inc.)

Oct. 19: Butter & Bliss Lotion Making Class Reserve Your Spot

Oct. 20: DWSD Resiliency Study - Open to the Public

Oct. 25: Small Business Saturday Become a Vendor

Oct. 26: Flavors & Friendships Reserve Your Spot

Nov. 15: Small Business Saturday Become a Vendor

Nov. 22: For the Sake of Cake - Decorating Class Reserve Your Spot

Nov. 29: Small Business Saturday Become a Vendor