Solitude. Peace. Quiet. Do you have enough of these in your life?
As I write this, we are camping about 13 minutes from our front door. Friends have asked why we sometimes choose to camp so close to home. My answer is it’s not always about the destination. Sometimes it’s just about getting away from it all. Our to-do lists don’t follow us here!
I can’t do laundry here. There is no upstairs bathroom yelling at me to grout the tiles. We have no deck that needs to be power washed. My husband has no lawn to mow. All of those demands will wait while we “come away” and take a walk by the pond behind our campsite, ride bikes, drink in the beauty of budding trees, or listen to the myriad of birds trilling in the trees.
We all need times to walk away from busyness and savor the incredible beauty of Creation and reflect on the One who made lilac blossoms and bright yellow dandelions and orioles with vivid orange bellies. We need time to listen. Right now, as I voice my thoughts into my phone, I am standing in an open grassy spot, looking at the sky reflected in the pond where two Canadian geese float leisurely, and hearing nothing but bird chatter. No dishwasher humming. No vacuum cleaner, no lawn mower. Just sounds created by my Creator… sounds that bring peace and gratitude and center me back to a calm place where I can quietly worship.
My hubby is retired, and I can write almost anywhere, so getaways are easy, but I well remember the fun but busy days when our four boys were home. If you’re still in those busy times, or working full time or caregiving, how can you find quiet and solitude? While long stretches of tranquility are wonderful, stolen moments spent gazing out a window, smelling a rose, or even looking at nature photos on your phone can give you a mini reprieve from the demands of your world.
“The LORD is in his holy Temple. All the earth—be quiet in his presence.” Habakkuk 2:20
“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.” Psalm 62:5-6
What can you do today to create an oasis of calm in your world?