Taking Time for Stillness

We are visiting one of our dearest friends this weekend for a quick getaway. At her house on the lake in Florida, I am sitting on the back patio listening to the sounds of calling birds, frogs plopping in the water and enjoying the foggy, still morning. It’s the perfect time to remember why taking a few moments to reflect or pray or think about what you are grateful for is so fulfilling. Too often, we jump up out of bed and rush to start the day with that long list of to-do’s, worries about work, anxiety about our families or fretting about how we are just going to be able to put one foot in front of the other one more time.

It feels like such a privilege to have this moment of calm, to listen to the sounds of the creatures around me, to watch the ducks skid into the lake with a gentle whoosh.  It makes me wonder why I don’t get up a little bit earlier in my normal day-to-day routine to enjoy this hush of tranquility and temper the chaos of my mind. Our days are full of multi-tasking and hurrying about, thoughts jumbling and pushing our bodies to press on, more caffeine, more tasks to complete, more – always more.

When you have a moment to catch your breath, to watch a bird take flight or the sun rise, to listen to the gentle wind rustle the trees, you have a chance to marvel at nature, at how the world wakes up every day with fresh eyes and open arms, ready to embrace what’s to come with hope and gratitude. In these fraught and volatile times we are living in, it’s so easy to get caught up in the darkness and the futility.

So set that alarm for 15 minutes earlier. Before you get out of bed, while you are still lying down in the comfort of the covers, give your mind some time to wake up, remembering what or whom you are grateful for – good health, people that love you, a warm place to rest your head, maybe a furry nose to pet. Step out of bed, go to the window or go outside and watch the world wake up. Every new day is a chance for a fresh start.  You deserve a few moments for yourself, so start your day with this gift of time. Breathe in new possibilities, gather your strength and greet the day with an open heart.