Sunday Memories: The Love of Stillness

It often feels like the majority of the world lives a life that revolves around "being busy" and there always being "something going on."

It is a very quiet morning here, and for once the people across the street — who have been doing a major renovation of their house for about six months — don't actually have workers toiling away, even on Sundays.

The very welcome quiet made me pause and reflect on the fact that I have never really liked "noise, busy-ness and activity as my state of being, in life.

It worried my mother — the social butterfly — when I was a kid and would much rather wander alone in the local woods than hang out with other kids, go to soccer camp, tennis club, martial arts, piano lessons and a bajillion other "activities" most of the world perceives not only to be normal, but also desirable.

Of course, you can't always get away from the noise of the world... but goodness knows, I have always tried!

Sometimes I think my love of nature photography is actually an offshoot of seeking this state of stillness, while wrapping a "legitimate label" around my desire to get away.

"Oh, he's out doing his photography" somehow came across better than "He's out trying to get away from the world."

I gained a fair bit of insight into the mindset of the majority because they would get excited about the fact that I was a wannabe photographer... and then they would quickly become disappointed by the total absence of people from my photos.

At most, there might be a few shots of stone statues...

In my younger years, the only real "respite" I had from the noise and chaos were the times I spent with my auntie, who lived alone, and in a fairly remote location. Much like me, she preferred the company of stillness, rather than busy-ness.

Of course, the reality of the world is that we pretty much have to interface with it on many levels... and that world is what it is.

In some ways, the irony in all this is that I perhaps spend more time "dealing with the world" than most, because my preference for solitude has always tended to be low income, as a result of which "the pursuit of stillness" can actually be quite costly, in terms of effort and energy required.

That world does not much accommodate the rejection of its primary paradigm!

Of course, the real challenge is actually navigating the world that is while staying true to yourself... but without becoming "that weird hermit who lives in a shed in the woods."

And that's the rub. I do like the comforts and conveniences of modern life...

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

How about YOU? Do you enjoy being busy? Does the buzz and activity of the world feel like "being alive," or does it feel more like a "noisy intrusion?" How do you feel about stillness? Comments, feedback and other interaction is invited and welcomed! Because — after all — SOCIAL content is about interacting, right? Leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!

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Created at 20220424 11:24 PDT
0561/1807