When I was growing up, my mother, who is a very patient woman, would look at me and quote the verse from the Bible that says, “Be still and know that I am God.” I would think in my mind, “I am too busy to be still,” and being still was not the choice of a young person.
Even more amazing to me is when I hear an exasperated young mother tell their child they will be going to “time out.” Now, I am not disagreeing with the young mother, but now that I’m grown I would just love for someone to tell me that I am going to “time out.” I think I would ask, “How long may I stay?”
When I have moments that I can just be still and have some quiet time, it gives me time to let my mind rest. I try to sit in my favorite chair with a cup of coffee or tea and just be quiet. Most of us find that when we give our minds time to rest, we start making mental notes of everything we have to do that day. And before you know it, we are right back where we started.
How do we relax and renew our souls? First, as Mom said, be still. Find a beautiful place that you love, and make that your place of relaxation. It may be in your garden, on the porch, in your favorite chair, or at a lovely park.
We must then disconnect. Turn off the cell phones and devices that will interrupt our time. Don’t be afraid of quiet. I love to sit on my porch and have morning coffee. I am amazed at the sounds of nature that I usually miss on any given day. The birds are unusually musical, and the breeze blowing through the leaves sings its own song.
Observe the beauty of your surroundings. I was enjoying being on the porch overlooking the garden this past spring, and suddenly one of my prized flowers just fell over abruptly. I watched for a moment and saw a cute bunny that had enjoyed a “floral breakfast” as it came hopping out of the flower beds.
The biggest challenge in being alone is renewing our minds. I find that if I start thinking of all the things I cherish and love, my mind doesn’t return to the “list” of upcoming responsibilities. I love to think of my grandchildren and what they may be doing at school. Remembering beautiful moments in my life is always restorative. Creative things I want to do in the upcoming days fills my mind also, and I find that my creative juices start flowing.
“Be still and know that I am God” is still a verse that I cling to. I understand it now more than ever. When the world is whirling around me and I am bombarded with noise from all sources, being still and reminding myself of this promise makes the noise fade away and tranquility fill my soul.
Today find your quiet place. Enjoy the restorative time of peace and quiet as your soul is renewed.
What do you do to find some quiet in our busy world?