Slenteren: The Case for Moseying

Yesterday, Monic and I found ourselves doing what many couples do at IKEA from time to time….

Walking. Wandering. Looping backwards and forwards. Sitting on chairs we don’t really need.

But somewhere between the kitchens, the cushions and the exit, Monic used a Dutch word I hadn’t heard before:

𝐒𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧.

Not rushing.

Not heading anywhere in particular.

Just… moving slowly, together (and losing each other occasionally too!)

We paused.

“What’s the English word for that?” she asked.

We played with a few.

Ambling.

Strolling.

Sauntering.

Meandering.

Moseying.

Each one close… but not quite complete.

And as we continued our two-hour “journey” around IKEA, it struck me – we weren’t just looking at furniture…

We were definitely 𝒔𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈!

Unhurried.

Unpressured.

Unstructured… in the best possible way.

Reflecting this morning I thought about a wee life lesson.

In a world that rewards speed, output, and efficiency, there is something quietly powerful about moseying.

Because when we slow down:

• We notice more

• We think more clearly

• We connect more deeply

• We feel more

Life has taught me that not everything valuable comes from moving fast.

I’ve found that oftentimes the best conversations and the clearest thoughts, come when we simply… slenteren through them.

Where in your life could you afford to mosey a little more today?