To take a moment to savor serenity . . .
Sometimes I’m taken aback, when I not only have but actually take advantage of a quiet interval, a space for introspection . . . and realize how rarely I do this simple exercise that I ought to do consistently. Stop. Think. Breathe slowly and deeply. Imagine. And let everything else just go. Let it flow away, sink out of sight.
Life in general is not (for most of us) the proverbial Walk in the Park. But is that because it’s how it has to be, or because we let it be so? Will the earth really fall off its axis and life as we know it end because I took an hour to do nothing except regroup silently and maybe take a stroll around the building, around the neighborhood? Of course not. There are moments of life-and-death drama for us all–for some, every single day. But if we let those be all that we have, what do we sacrifice in the exchange? Whom do we allow ourselves to be, and how does that affect all of the people around us whom we profess to treasure so?
I think I know. And in moments like this, when I do allow myself to slow down and take that healing inspiration of a meditative calm, of a purposeful emptying of my busy heart and brain to open up space for something less frantic and a little less fixed–I find beauty. Not because all of the Stuff stops mattering; I’ll return to the buzzing hive soon enough and take up my part in the foolishness once again. Because I find just enough renewal in the smallest pause to sustain me through that next onslaught of outrageousness, the incoming demands and the overwhelming sense of Things That Must Be Done. And then I will try my best to remember from time to time to reboot, to hit Pause again. To purposefully do nothing at all.
If only for a moment.
I'll allow little spaces for larger beauties to come into view . . .
Art-Colored Glasses 
Amen! A beautifully said reminder…pause….indeed. Peace and Pause! 🙂
And also with you! 😉 Since you’re so aptly named, my dear, I know you can truly appreciate the sentiment in this. xoxo!
Absolutely, just sit on a rock. relax. lovely post for me to tead in the middle of the DAY BEFORE A WEDDING!!. c
And a truly wonderful, heart-filling wedding indeed, I hope! Given all of the family time and the good food and all, I can’t imagine anything but a full-on inundation of joys. Hope you can find your moments of stillness in the middle of it all, too, darling Celi!
Timely…Reminds me that I did the RIGHT thing by staying in bed yesterday to nurse a bad cold, rather than the LAZY thing…No matter how guilty I felt at the time.
(And that I don’t have to wait for an illness to take me out, before I take some time….)
You have *my* permission, and I’ll even write you a note, if you need one!
We all need to take more time for those quiet, peaceful moments.
Where is this park? It looks beautiful. The top picture reminds me a little bit of the Fern Dell at the Dallas Arboretum.
The pictures are from *two* beautiful parks, actually; the first is in Calgary, a little quiet and rather hidden part of the zoo there, and the second is in Vancouver (BC).
I am not at all good at slowing down and just taking it in – the beauty of this crazy, wide world. Thank you for this blessed reminder of how very important that is. 🙂
You’re very welcome, Desi. I can only imagine that an active person with a full life like yours has to be truly deliberate about getting quiet time sandwiched in anywhere. So I hereby give you not only permission but a mandate to seek out the needed moments so you can refuel–and, hopefully, show your beautiful children (both those born to you and those other lucky little squirts being nurtured by you) how to find meditative peace in an often too busy world too.
I’ve often thought it’s a pity that businesses don’t embrace the practice my kindergarten teacher had of an established time of day when everybody pulled out a rug or mat and lay down on it in a darkened room for either a nap or just quiet contemplation and refreshment. Plus, I like the mental image of all those big execs and takeover-meisters curled up on the floor on little rugs! Now, THAT’S a path to world domination I could really get into!
This is why I love New Zealand everyday is a walk in a park, laid back lifestyle yet you can be busy if you wanted to. A walk in a nice beach or a stroll in a rainforest is at max 30 minutes away.
NZ is definitely on my list–someday I’ll get to experience it! For now, in my imagination . . .