Last night after the bigger boys were in bed (and the baby was mellow), Hubby said "did you want to do something tonight? We like to get TV series' from netflix, and we often watch an episode or two of something together after the kids are in bed. However, last night we were in that in-between stage where we had finished our current disc but had not received the next one yet.
I glanced at the clock, and noted that it was just a little after 9pm. "We could go to bed I suppose," I said, "but I admit I like to sit up for a little while and enjoy the quiet of the kids being asleep."
Hubby started laughing. "Funny that you should say that you want to enjoy the quiet," he said, "when you just started that noisy dryer."
It got me to thinking about how "quiet" and "stillness" are not necessarily synonymous with "silence." The people who make those white noise CDs for sleeping have known this for a while. Sometimes true silence leaves our minds too busy as they try to fill the void with something--anything. But we can have internal calm and quiet amid quite a few decibels.
I think that God's command to "be still" does not necessarily require us to sit motionless. Sure, there is something to be gained from silent meditation, but even in the midst of busy kids and buzzing home appliances, I can have peace in my mind and my soul.
That is very true. I always have to have something on music, TV or something, while I do other things. I don't notice that noise though. I do notice kids screaming or fighting.
ReplyDeleteI wish there were like buttons on blogs likeon facebook... because sometimes all I want to say is "like."
ReplyDeleteI entirely agree with all of this. It's how I actually get more done when there's chaos going on around me (such as doing work while my middle school bands are warming up). I've had other teachers walk in and go "How do you deal?!?!?" and I just shrug. It's actually something that calms me and helps me focus.
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