JJ Heller on slowing down and soaking in the beauty of the world

My heart does a little dance when I start to see small bursts of orange peeking through green vines in the pumpkin patches around town. I drive with the windows rolled down as much as I possibly can. This time of year is the absolute best. The sun is still warm without melting everyone and everything in sight, but the days are still long enough to play outside after school.

Because I'm not racing through my day, trying to find air-conditioned spaces, I'm naturally reminded to slow down and soak in the beauty of my family and the world around me. And honestly, I'm just altogether in a better mood because I hate being hot!

Dave and I wrote this new song, Long Way Home, with our friend Jilian Linklater as a sweet little reminder that efficiency is not always the best option. Every once in a while we need to take the scenic route; to intentionally choose beauty over speed and soak in each exquisite, ordinary moment.

There's something about this song that just plain makes me happy and I hope it makes you feel the same way. Here's to taking the long way home.

Long Way Home

By David Heller, JJ Heller, and Jilian Linklater

White lines. Sunshine.
Your hand in mine
Not a cloud in the sky
This just feels right.

Windows are down
Skip the shortcut
Turn off the phone and turn the radio up
On a day like today there's only one way to go
Let's take the long way home

Goodbye deadlines
No map, just drive
Breathe it in, we're alive
This just feels right

Windows are down
Skip the shortcut
Turn off the phone and turn the radio up
On a day like today there's only one way to go
Let's take the long way home

We don't need to get back
I don't want to go home yet
We don't need to get back
You're making me forget
All the worries in my head