Quiet Strength

 

Dawn is one of my favourite times of day.  There is a stillness and a quiet at sunrise that you don’t get at any other time.  The world is still asleep, and the sky is a sea of pastel light.  Autumn mornings add an extra sense of renewal and nostalgia.

Times of quiet hold a special kind of magic for me.  From the season’s first snowfall to the darkest midnight in the country, few other places bring such an easy sense of reflection and transcendence.

Of course, unless you’re experiencing sensory deprivation, you’re never really in total silence.  The world bustles along, even in the quiet times and places, making its own sounds of life.  If you live in or near a city, there are even more sounds to keep you company.

I’ve known a lot of people who become nervous in a void of active noise.  They play the television, listen to music or talk to cover the quiet.  There have been times when I have felt strange for not being compelled to add additional layers of sound to my day.

With a little one running around, my sunrises are not as quiet and reflective as they once were.  But naptime helps to make up for it.  Everything slows down for a few minutes; I can take a deep breath and let my mind and soul relax.

When I was young, I would seek solitude to find those moments of peace.  To let my mind wander and my imagination soar.  Some of my best works and most compelling stories came from times like that.  For me, creativity rushes in to fill the void that quiet brings.

I think that everyone need quiet moments to keep them healthy and sane.  It can be hard to find them when you’re rushing around to lessons, to work, shopping or whathaveyou.  And I think that when one is busy, it’s easy to forget about taking a moment for ourselves.  Time slips away, and before you know it, the end of the week has arrived.  And then another.  And another.

With the holiday season coming up, and the dark of the year setting in, it’s going to be even more difficult to find those fleeting moments of quiet.  This is the time of year when those little self-care breaks need to be at the forefront of our minds.

Daily meditation is a great habit to get into.  It’s important for just about every aspect of our lives from maintaining a healthy diet to working magic.  But it can also be a stressor in itself when your practise slips from your mind one day, and then another.

I know that I am really terrible at keeping a routine.  I’ve often said that the only thing that I manage to do every day is brush my teeth.  But a few deep breaths in a moment of quiet, can help to cushion those days when you just don’t have the time for much else.  Even if all you manage to do is slip into a bathroom, stairwell or hallway away from the noise of the day, it will make a difference.

Try to remember that the best gift you can give to anyone is a happy and relaxed you to spend time with.