Solitude, Silence, Time to Think

Be still and know that I am God.  Psalm 46:10

Quietude, the new in word.  For some time I have wanted to write a blog about Quietude.  When Bob and I were in Florida this past winter visiting with our friends the Bauers, we were sitting out on their screened in back porch having morning coffee and reading the Tampa Bay Times.  The Perspective by Pico Iyer was dedicated to Quietude.  It seems people are now paying up to $2,285 a night at the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur just to have quietude.  According to the author the future of travel lies in "black-hole resorts".  Places where people go to escape all technology,  Just think no tv, no computer, no cell phone - no busy busy traffic - just silence, reflection, and relaxation.

Maybe Thoreau was ahead of his time.  "The man whose horse trots a mile a minute does not carry the most important messages."   He also noted that we have more and more ways to communicate but less and less to say.   Blaise Pascal wrote, "Distraction is the only thing that consoles us for our miseries and yet it is itself the greatest of our miseries."

We certainly live in a distracting world.  We are constantly bombarded with noise or information of some sort - from TV's, Radios, Computers, iphones, ipads, traffic, trains, planes, cars, trucks, motors of all kinds, and the list could go on and on.  I can see why black-hole resorts are in demand.  In a way it seems like we have gotten addicted to the noise of life - maybe the noise does allow us to hide from what we consider to be our life problems.  (I tend to think our problems are few when compared to the rest of the world).

Have you noticed how many people are walking/running around listening to their music on their ipods?  Of course, in cities/towns where noise can be overwhelming, the music might be much more relaxing, sort of like a mini black hole with noise.  Few people really have the option of listening to quiet and many people are probably afraid to listen to quiet.  I am sure Daily Devotions and Prayer are the quietest time of day for many.  When you think about it - you can see why meditation is so important to many people.  Our minds need time to relax and absorb.   I often think about Simon and Garfunkle's song, "The sound of silence".  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTCNwgzM2rQ&feature=related

Sounds of Silence

Wind blowing through the trees
Wind chimes
Deer hoofs on dry leaves
Bird songs
Bird wings in flight
Bob breathing
Sigmund chasing unknowns in his sleep
Children laughing
Squirrels scurrying about in the woods
Insects buzzing
Roosters crowing
Chickens clucking
Animals voices
Thunder
Trees Falling
Ocean Waves
Rain, Sleet, Hail
Water


Photos of Silence

Clouds
Grass Growing
Flowers
Green
Blue
Brown
Butterfly Wings
Sunshine, Sunrises, Sunsets
Stars
Moon
Rainbows
Lightening Bolts
Snow
Fruit Ripening
Rocks, Mountains, Trees, Desert
Prayer

May you have time for moments of Quietude for they are the best of times..