Stillness

There is beauty in stillness.  Just take a calm moment outside, and you may be surprised at what you might find.  The trees gently blowing in the wind, all in rhythm.  The sound of the crickets and cicadas, along with songbirds, making a beautiful symphony.  The shadows of a willow tree's leaves dancing along on the ground with the sunlight.  A toad parked under the tree, trying to escape the hot weather.  All pure and simple beauty!

There is beauty in the "inner" stillness.  When you go inside yourself to think and reflect.  Equally as beautiful, and equally as important.  You don't even have to travel outside to achieve it, but rather to a quiet part of your home where you can be comfortable and alone with your thoughts or daydreams.  Going to either of these places of stillness is always a peaceful part of my day!

The art of stillness is very undervalued in our society today.  I call it an art, because I believe it to be one.  Just like an art, stillness takes time to practice and develop.  Just like art, stillness can be a beautiful craft.  Today's society seems to be obsessed with being busy, and impressed with busy people -- it seems almost a "status symbol" to be as busy as possible, as if being successful is tied into how busy you are.  This does not impress me.

We can not always be on the go.  We must take time daily to be still (without having The Wild Things tame us into doing so).  We must have time to reflect.  It is only by being still that we can properly listen to the messages our body, mind, and heart are trying to send to us.

I try to plan my days with care so they will not be overwhelming.  I plan my life accordingly, so my family and I have a good balance of fun, work and obligations, but also have plenty of time to appreciate life's beauty.  I don't want to be rushing through our days as a way of life, missing the beautiful things on the way.  I want to be able to sit under a tree and watch a butterfly's flight.  I want to marvel with my children at the bee's progress on the hive they are building in our backyard.  I want time each day to "check-in" with myself and see how I am doing, what I want to do, and what I will inspire to do.  I am an active participant in creating my life -- not just responding to it.  Stillness helps me achieve that.

One of my many spots to achieve "stillness."

Thought of the Day:  Everyone needs time to be still, but it will not come unless you get into the habit of planning it.  You have to make time to create it. Will you choose to plan some stillness into your day?  If you do, you might just be able to create your day instead of reacting to it!