The Sound of Silence
Sometimes we just need to quiet our mind. Our lives are full of constant outside stimulation and now that we are hunkering down in our homes, it would be easy to fall into the technology overload trap. It seems rare that people completely unplug and absorb the beauty of the world around us these days.
I think about when I was a kid and we would lay in the yard and watch the lightening bugs flying overhead. It’s sad that kids today don’t really voluntarily unplug. Maybe now is the time during this pause in our usual rituals to ensure we are left to entertain ourselves for a certain amount of time each day. The news can be overwhelming and while we need to stay informed, it can be an energy drain if we have a constant feed of scary information. It’s always nice to take some time each day to read or go out into the yard or take a walk or meditate, just a little something to quiet the mind.
Years ago, my family and some friends visited Yosemite. It had snowed quite heavily the night before, so the roads were closed to drive to see the magnificent sequoia trees. We had to hike uphill on a slippery road about a mile to get to them. Because of the road closure, the usual throng of tourists was light. I had never seen anything like these magnificent trees. We arrived at the Bachelor and the Three Graces and I was awestruck by the sheer size, age and beauty of these majestic trees.
I was having an issue with a tendon on my foot, so when the rest of the party wanted to hike in deeper to the woods, I elected to stay behind. After they left, a few other stragglers departed leaving me completely alone with the trees. There was not one sound, but the snow crunching under my feet. It was complete silence. This type of silence and peace I had ever experienced before. I just remember sitting on the wooden fence that surrounds the quadruplet of trees, closing my eyes and leaning back and opening them to look up into the mighty branches.
When I get overwhelmed or there are so many things coming at me at once, I take myself back to the Bachelor and the Three Graces and close my eyes and quiet my mind. How do you find your quiet place?
