Did you know that in Finland, millions of people are tuning in to watch six puppies sleep?
Yes, sleep ... sometimes for up to 20 hours a day.
On October 10, a five-year-old Lagotto Romagnolo named Hilkka gave birth to six puppies -- two females and four males. Shortly after the birth, Finland's national public broadcaster, Yle Areena, turned on a webcam in the breeder's home. Ever since, viewers have been watching the puppies nurse, nap, squirm, and occasionally attempt the tremendous feat of moving a few inches across their blankets.
The livestream is called Pentulive, Finnish for "Puppy Live," and this fall is season six of the 24/7 livestream. Last year's edition attracted 6.5 million page views in a country of just 5.6 million people. The puppies will remain on camera until December, when they're old enough to join their new families.
Welcome to the wonderful world of "Slow TV."
The concept originated in Norway in 2009, when the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation aired an entire seven-hour train journey from Bergen to Oslo. Cameras captured the scenery as the train traveled through mountains, valleys, and 182 tunnels. More than a million Norwegians tuned in.
Two years later, the network went even further, broadcasting a 134-hour voyage aboard a coastal ship traveling from Bergen to Kirkenes. For five and a half days, viewers watched the Norwegian coastline drift past in real time. An estimated 3.2 million Norwegians watched at least some of the journey.
Since then, Slow TV has featured everything from knitting and wood burning to migrating reindeer. The appeal lies in its extraordinary ordinariness. Viewers follow events at their natural pace, enjoying the small surprises that unfold along the way. And according to Finns and Norwegians, it's enormously relaxing.
We spend so much of our lives rushing from one responsibility to the next, filling every available moment with information or activity. Even our moments of rest become another opportunity to accomplish something. But how can we meet God when we are perpetually in a hurry?
Consider 1 Kings 19, when the prophet Elijah retreats to Mount Horeb, exhausted and discouraged. Elijah encounters a powerful wind, an earthquake, and a fire, expecting to hear the voice of his Creator. Elijah experienced extraordinary displays of power, but the moment that drew him out of the cave came in the quiet. The presence of God came to Elijah in a gentle whisper.
This week, consider giving yourself permission to slow down. Sit with a cup of coffee and watch the birds. Take a walk without checking your phone. Spend a few minutes enjoying something that requires absolutely nothing from you.
Or, if you're feeling particularly adventurous, take a 10-hour boat ride along the Norwegian coast. You can experience the whole journey from your living room a la "Slow TV." Because sometimes the most meaningful thing we can do with our attention is simply allow it to rest.