Quiet

Lounging at Null

This weekend I spent an hour sitting all alone under a shady oak tree. I didn’t have my son with me or his baby monitor. I didn’t carry my to-do list, my laptop or anything else that would distract me. I carried my cell phone but only so I could listen to music. I started Pandora on the Kelly Clarkson station and set it the grass next to me.

Then I sat and watched the young students walking around the campus grounds. I had forgotten just how wonderful it feels to sit quietly with my thoughts. Before my son was born I would take long walks where my mind wandered into all sorts of creative avenues. While I sometimes daydream while we walk it’s certainly not the same as when I walk alone. I find myself distracted by whether or not he’s comfy and happy.

On those walks 50% of my brain is focused on what he’s doing and 50% on what I’m thinking, but oh how good it felt to sit outside and let my mind wander. When I worked in DC I would walk outside every day for a few minutes just to enjoy the weather. Even when the weather was hot, humid and downright awful. Oh how I took those small moments for granted.

Here’s to finding a new shady spot. A little place where my mind can listen to music and let my mind wander.

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