The modern world has made it difficult to simply sit back and enjoy silence. Between work, chores, family obligations and the constant need to be doing SOMETHING, the world has left the concept of simply knocking back and doing nothing behind. The advent of social media has also brought about a phenomenon where people seem to consider it more important ton make hobbies and past times about making money online as opposed to simply enjoying them for what they are.
In recent years, I’ve come to realize that at some point, one needs to step out of the rat race in order to allow the body to heal and recover from the stresses of daily life. As nice as it would be to live a live without stress, thinking that one could accomplish such a thing, especially in today’s climate, is pretty much a fool’s errand. Stress comes in many forms and can have many emotional, mental and physical effects on the body. This makes it all the more important to take time to simply let the silence sink in.
Finding a quiet environment has been difficult for me, considering my children are like two overloaded freight trains that feel it necessary to go head-to-head on the tracks. After a long day’s work, coming home to a constant barrage of noise can make it all the more difficult to relax and let one’s mind cool. That’s why I’ve started to partake of a new practice of sitting by myself, first thing in the morning. This is pretty straightforward, given that it’s the summer season but when I wake up in the morning, I usually grab my energy drink and go sit on the front step.
Despite the warmer weather, the front of my house doesn’t face the sunrise, so the front step is shaded and allows for a coool,m refreshing means of starting one’s morning in silence. If I’m smart enough to be silent myself, the amount of early morning wildlife that I see running around is wonderful. Between squirrels, rabbits, local cats and a variety of bird species, it’s basically like my own little nature retreat. That is, until the boys wake up and bring their loud, raucous voices outside to join me. Everybody wants a piece of daddy… First world problems.
It’s important to find ways to enjoy a bit of quiet. We get so tied up in the constant racket of our daily lives that we often forget that our bodies and minds need a bit of time to cool. Otherwise, the opportunity to burn out is very real and prevalent. Whether that means finding a private spot and taking the time to meditate, sitting quietly in the mornings like I do or even just taking an hour at a local coffee shop with a good book. It’s all good. you can’t miss. It’s all an important step of self-care that one must observe. After all, if you don’t take good care of yourself, you’ll never be able to help care for others. Food for thought… ☯️
The Blogging Buddhist 
Hello.
This article highlights the importance of finding moments of silence and taking time for self-care in our busy lives. It’s refreshing to read about the author’s practice of sitting in silence in the mornings and enjoying the peaceful wildlife. Taking care of ourselves allows us to better care for others.
Thanks for sharing.
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