Quiet

Calm.

Silent.

Still.

Collected.

A breeze moving through the strands in your hair.

Birds chirping softly in the early morning hours.

Crickets in the background of a star covered evening.

All this and more are what many desire to be as their normal. This busy life that is our current state in society is a whirlwind to be reckoned with.

Classes to attend.

Children to care for.

Toys on the floor- didn’t you JUST have that area clean three minutes ago?

Dogs barking, the neighbors mowing. A job to clock in for, a paycheck to earn.

People bustling from here to there. Social obligations to fulfill, errands to run and shopping to do.

The to do list is never completely empty, but usually spilling over to the next day.

Sigh. Can’t it just be quiet for even a moment?

It seems impossible, yet it is only just difficult. Difficulty can be overcome when one has a hope and a belief that nothing is as impossible as it seems.

A quiet moment seems just out of reach, yet it is right there when you know where to look and listen. It seems odd to listen for silence. Yet, these are moments when the most valuable snippets of quietness will find a way to pop up.

Normally one to turn on music, I have lately taken advantage of driving to the grocery store with nothing more than my own thoughts. I still enjoy music from time to time. But now I find that driving alone ( having left the children with their daddy for a few minutes), greatly improves my mood and clears my head.

When the older children go outside to play during the younger ones’ naptime, it is tempting to read a book, wash a load of dishes, etc. Listening for silence, I discover it in that moment. I mindfully tell myself to simply sit and BE, if even for a short five minutes. Then I go and wash the dishes for a time in silence before turning on any music.

On days when there is bad weather and the children must remain indoors all day, we have an established “quiet time” (or two!) Carving out space for being quiet and finding silence are healthy for our entire wellbeing.

I sit now writing this after all have retired to sleep. The only sounds are those of my dog snoring, my keys clicking as I type and a sound machine softly keeping the baby asleep. I am so counting the time until we can be rid of the sound machine though! It is just enough extra noise that my ears ring slightly when I turn it off each morning. But aside from that, there are no voices to be heard. No dogs barking. No washing machines whirring or lawnmowers buzzing.

In a day where silence seems to have become a thing of the past- almost vintage if you will- we must look for it, and create our own when none can be found.

Only then can we begin to find an inexplicable peace. We must filter out noise or else be consumed by it.

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.“

~1 Timothy 2: 1-4