“There are days when solitude is a heady wine that intoxicates you with freedom, others when it is a bitter tonic, and still others when it is a poison that makes you beat your head against the wall.”
Colette 1873 –1954, French author
I read this post on Quiet from Misty at Rainy Day in May and it set me thinking about all the noisy years I have had in my life and now the quiet years.
The years when the children were growing up, going to school, after school activities, having friends over, learning to drive, arguing with each other, arguing with mother or father – these were noisy years.
During these noisy years, I often wished for some quiet time alone and as with all mothers, these were fleeting. But mostly I loved being involved with the children and their activities.
Now the children have left home and started families of their own. My post on April 1 ‘waxed lyrical’ about them. And the house is quiet without them.
Very occasionally, it is filled with the noise of growing boys laughing and arguing with each other and one or both of their parents. But when they leave, the house once again settles into silence.
And so now I am in the quiet years. The time now that I am on my own, without anybody else to worry about, and I choose what I do with my time. After all, my blog is titled “I choose how I will spend the rest of my life”. This is my simple time. A time when I can divest myself of all the extraneous junk, both physical and mental that I have been carrying around for ages.
So each day I can choose to
- Read a book
- Have coffee on my own or with a friend
- Take Lotte, the Tibetan Spaniel for a walk
- Make phone-calls
- Watch TV
- Write my blog
- Read blogs written by others
- Invite friends over for coffee or dinner
- Go to the movies
- Go to a concert
The solitude is at my choosing as is the silence. The sentiments come and go because I find as I get older, I do become more sentimental. And today is Saturday and the sun is shining.
And I found this poem from Wang Wei a Tang Dynasty Chinese poet, musician, painter, and statesman. who lived 699-759 AD
In these quiet years growing calmer,
Lacking knowledge of the world’s affairs,
I stop worrying how things will turn out.
My quiet mind makes no subtle plans.
Returning to the woods I love
A pine-tree breeze rustles in my robes.
Mountain moonlight fills the lute’s bowl,
Shows up what learning I have left.
If you ask what makes us rich or poor
Hear the Fisherman’s voice float to shore.
To read more of his poems go to http://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Chinese/AllwaterWangWei.htm.
I’m enjoying sharing your quiet years with you.
Thanks.
LikeLike
Thank you so much for the comment. I am enjoying these years too.
Judith 🙂
LikeLike
We all need quiet and in the hubbub of today’s living with so much noise, information overload, busyness, it can be hard to find.
So many people can’t cope with solitude and silence which means they miss out on that deep sense of peace that comes from time spent truly quiet.
Time spent in nature is so critical for recharging our batteries and showing us the way.
I love the quote from Wang Wei.
LikeLike
I found Wang Wei a while ago when searching for something on the Tao. This is only one of many that I wrote down.
Thanks for your comment.
Judith 🙂
LikeLike
I am beginning to stop worrying about how things will turn out more and more. I am not there yet. Global warming an environment issue still give me anxiety.
LikeLike
Carl, as your mother no doubt taught you, practice makes perfect. Yes I must admit that some of those environmental issues make me sit up and think (read worry) but I am doing what I can re recycling, taking public transport when possible etc. Only small things but I am unable to influence the larger things.
LikeLike
I’m always caught off guard when you mention the day–it being Saturday–and I’ve yet to go to bed Friday night. It’s nice to know that tomorrow will come. 🙂
I enjoy quiet time, but I’m not to the place yet where I can quiet the voice in my head that keeps reminding me of all that needs to be done! Does that ever happen?
LikeLike
So where are you Patti? It’s early evening here 6 pm. We are the first place in the world to see the sun each day – aren’t we lucky.
Thanks for the comments. Judith 🙂
LikeLike
I’m on the east coast of Virginia, USA. I guess you could say I get to sleep a lot longer after the sun comes up. 🙂 I checked the world clock, noon here on Saturday, 4:00 a.m. Sunday there, so I’m trying to be vewwy vewwy quiet. 🙂
LikeLike
Quiet is good, it calms the soul. I treasure days of quiet, as I am still in the busy period of my life. I noticed that after my mother’s passing, my father has become more quiet, more drawn inward to himself. I suppose it could be his age, but I believe he is sorting through his emotions…trying to make sense of his life now and what will become of his remaining years.
LikeLike
Yes, your father is probably still trying to make sense of a life without his helpmate. Give him time and he will return if not to his old self, then to something akin to it that you can all live with.
Judith 🙂
LikeLike
Quiet is good!! I hate noise… sometimes the cares of life just seem more accentuated by the clutter of noise! 😉 Thanks for visiting my blog… now, I have luckily found yours too! I’m going to enjoy the read!
LikeLike
Just loved the take on the nude model and will follow you from now on.
Sometimes (not often)the silence needs to be broken and so I go for a walk to the local shops and talk to the friendly people there.
LikeLike
Thanks for the compliment… may I be presumptions and place your link on my blogroll, please? Good conversation is great! Noise not… the nude model and I will often talk for hours as we walk… never saying much… lessons in life mostly… 😉
LikeLike
I would be honored if you put me on your blog roll. I am trying to work out how to do one on my site but cant find the right widget. Perhaps I need to change the theme.
LikeLike
there is so much truth in the Collete quote you have shared with us
i have a lot of quiet time, living in the country, I was retrenched 2 years ago and have only been able to get part time work since then
some days the solitude and silence is bliss
other days it feels like a prison
i too am grateful for a furry friend who likes to go for walks
your Lotte is a little cutie, is that photo puppy size, will she get bigger?
LikeLike
Thanks for dropping by. I lived in the country for a short time way back in 1986 but it wasn’t me. So now I live in town surrounded by people being busy.
My little Tibetan Spaniel is 5 years old – she was one when I got her – and is fully grown. She is adorable and weighs in at 4.5 kgs so is easily transported.
Judith 🙂
LikeLike
Bring on the quiet years…right now, I’d settle for a quiet couple of hours!
Glad you’re enjoying your quiet, Judith!
Wendy
LikeLike
Yes I am enjoying it although I still keep busy, but there is no rush and tumble as there were when the family were all at home.
LikeLike