Sweet Silence

Do you remember the first few times your parents left you at home alone while they ran an errand or two?  I certainly remember.

Because I used to hate being alone. 

I can recall numerous occasions when my dad would be at work and my mom needed to go to the store and would "just be gone for a little while."

At that point in time, twenty minutes seemed like an eternity to me. With the knowledge that "a little while" meant somewhere in the neighborhood of 1-3 hours-- I absolutely despised it. So, naturally, I did what any child would do, and called my mom (on the house phone, of course). And when she didn't answer, I'd have a mild panic attack and think that she had been abducted or something. As I grew older, I did calm down considerably. Actually, a lot because I figured they’d meander back home at some point. They always did.

Anyway.

I've got to tell you.

Lately I've been really appreciating alone time.

I live with three girls.

And I love them a whole lot.

A lot a lot. We do most everything together.

But today is a wonderful day, because I have the opportunity to go about my day in a leisurely manner…in complete silence and solitude.

And by "complete silence," I do mean that I have a fantastic playlist saved up for times such as these, that I blaring from our kitchen. Which features this glorious little number:

Go ahead. Jam out. You know you want/need to right now.

I have found that it is often in moments of solitude where you realize just how not alone you are.

IN FACT:

When/if you take a few moments (or an entire day) to be intentionally alone, to absorb everything through the sole filter of your perception, you understand that life is filled with people and things who accompany you. There is a special kind of confidence that comes from being alone, a happiness in the more simple pleasures that often go unnoticed when we are distracted by the presence and opinions of others.

Just a few months ago, I was working at one of my favorite places in the entire world, Camp of the Hills, with 30 of my closest friends having the time of my life. But one of my favorite times of each week was the 3-4 hours that I spent in town at a laundromat to wash the smell of lake, dirt, campers, and trees out of my clothes. There was something miraculous about spending time reflecting on my week without any noise aside from the other patrons of the laundromat and melodious sound of clean clothes tossing about. 

I think I need to bring that once-a-week-be-by-yourself-for-a-few-hours thing back into my life. Not that I'm never alone, but I think that it would be healthy to set aside a specific time to simply think. Maybe blog? Both. 

Neither. 

Whatever. 

People that can go from group to group, meeting to meeting, function to function, etc. etc. really impress me, but I wonder where they get their superhuman ability to be around people at all times, but I know that I must accept that I do not possess that ability. I see that there is a need in my life to spend some time alone to recoup from being in large groups. Giving my mind some time to rest, have a chat with God about how life is going (one of my favorite things), and maybe even nap. 

Have a wonderful day, my friends. Maybe take some time to just sit, read, meditate, or whatever you feel.

Things I love about today:

1. My computer and all of the fun music it holds

2.  Hall & Oats