Yesterday evening I went in my hot tub and just enjoyed the clouds rolling by and the stillness. Typically, I make phone calls or listen to a podcast or have grandkiddos playing beside me. But I just was still. It was so pleasant that I know I need to unplug more often and not have any input coming in. Later, Ron came out and Cora went off chasing deer that were feeding on crabapples less than twenty feet from me. They were so quiet that I was not even aware of their presence in our snow covered backyard.
What a gift to just be still. I am aware that I have become someone who wants to fill every moment of my day. Whether it is the car radio, a podcast, Echo playing music, the tv or conversations, I tend to not choose quiet. That makes me sad even though it is by my own choice. My hope is to be more intentional about living in silence. I am sure it will take practice and I will have to take baby steps but I am motivated.
I remember when our home was filled with four small children and I relished the quiet moments. When we would go to Santa Fe the kids would be chatting away in the car. As you enter the city there is a deaf school on the right. There was a street sign that showed an ear with an X over it. I convinced my kids that it meant they needed to be quiet while we passed the school. Ah the joy of those few seconds of stillness. How ironic that it was a deaf school where the kiddos there live in silence throughout their lives. But it worked for me to get them to be still if only briefly.
So here is to me trying to unplug a bit in 2024. Now I need to put my iPad away and just be.
In Him,
Joyful
1-18-24
I enjoy quiet moments and hours, and like to not drive anywhere two days a week. That is my goal, quiet nurtures me. Then I have energy for social events, church and family.
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