Morning fog
London, ON, February 2009
I've been waking up at 4-ish lately, part of my deliberate plan to boost productivity and simplify things a little. The few hours before the house comes alive are remarkably peaceful: Telemarketers aren't calling, the dog isn't barking at squirrels through the living room window and I'm not staring at the clock, racing to finish some think-work before the kids get home from school.
I love the buzz of a full, vibrant house like nobody's business, but often I need deep quiet if I'm going to truly crank out something worth reading. That this little snippet of quiet time seems to be good for my soul, too, is a bit of an added bonus.
Never mind that today wasn't supposed to be such a day. I planned to sleep in to the usual 6:45 a.m. and take the munchkins to school. But my brain seems to have decided to make other plans. So here I sit, writing. Quietly.
Your turn: Why quiet matters. Please discuss.
About this photo: We're doing drab all week as part of the latest Thematic Photographic theme. New entry coming tomorrow, but you've still got time to submit a drab photo, too. Click here to participate.
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15 comments:
Recently I have been rising half an hour earlier, I love enjoying the quiet as I have a coffee and catch up on blogs.
Why does it matter? Well for me it helps start the day in a calm state of mind.
i'm up then too....and love the calm and the feel of safety knowing everyone is still tucked in their beds dreaming.
"quiet" is where i have to go to find the muse. though many of my ideas come from the busy brash loud days of interactions and doing....they have to somehow settle in me before i can create some semblance and order to my thoughts. "quiet" helps me sort out the ideas and allows for one or two to float up to the surface so that i can harness them.
bon chance today my friend. have fun with it too.
Quiet - is essential to gather the zillion criss-crossing thoughts that dart across the brain (when they need to be gathered). However, there are times when we do manage to detach from the noises and make ourselves heard (in our own brain).
Very, very tough when you have a 3-year old crawling over you, demanding to see snaps and type ABC using the keyboard (what else is the computer for, anyway?)
Have an energetic day! :)
Love this photograph. It says so much.
Why does it matter to me? Because a little peace and serenity in the AM is what I need to start the day on the right foot. Sets the tone for the day...before the chaos and BS start.
I think the need for quiet moments is a result of the lives we lead.
In our modern world, we are constantly "on", in busy, noisy environments, interacting with others through technology, that leaves us drained.
We all crave and need to be on our own, to feel that time almost stands still. Just like sleep, these moments of solitude are a vital part of our days.
Quiet is crucial in my creative processes. Quiet refreshes, revitalizes and renews my spirit.
My personal time is the 90 minutes between 5am when my husband leaves for work and 6:30am when the first kid alarm goes off. I'm actually a little bit grouchy if I don't have this time - which is silly, because by 8:30am, all 4 kids are off to school and the house is quiet once again. I guess I consider any time after 8:30am to be "work time."
No kids so the morning is all mine and the cats .. Husband sleeps in because he works at home and often works long hours past my bedtime ... once I feed Rose .. Gus gets into bed with Husband and I have quiet time ... I suspect its sort of how he feels when I am asleep ...
Mr. kenju used to go to the office early in the morning, about 5am, so he could organize his calendar and collect his thoughts for the day ahead. He said the quiet at that time was conducive to getting more done in 10 minutes than he could all day, after the office opened. I see where he was coming from now, although I didn't when we were younger. Quiet is essential to my sanity, at least part of the time.
Found you through a dear blog friend:
http://kcinnova.wordpress.com/ who suggested I submit my drab picture of water and ice to your blog. Haven't gotten a round tu it yet, but maybe I will.
BTW - thank you for your kind comments on my blog!
Why quiet matters: I'm a teacher and I need quiet time, preferrably both at the beginning and the end of the day. I wake up around 5 AM, drink coffee and check out some blogs before I even turn on the radio or TV to catch the news. In the evenings I often weave for an hour or so before I even think about checking what's on TV.
Quiet matters,
- because I start remembering the things and people in my life that really matter.
- Also, all kinds of creative ideas start bubbling up. That's why they sometimes appear in my dreams, because I am too busy with tangents!
-When you talk about the importance of quiet with your kids, you are giving them a gift!
-I could go on for a while, but I'll go quiet now :)
Wonderful post and photo. Thanks for sharing!
These magic hours are a balm, full of magic and (as you point out) QUIET.
You can hear to the bottom of time (with apologies to Rilke)
You have the quiet before a lovely storm! Aloha, Carmi
Oh, Carmi, how I've missed you! I could use some quiet time around here. I love the time to hear my own thoughts. My husband's hearing is moving into "old man" status and the TV is usually 5 times louder than I need it. It feels so realaxing when I'm up alone and commercials aren't blaring at me. I think it's really agitating. Quiet=calm (or kids getting into something they shouldn't)
why quiet matters?
because life is loud, insistant, striving and it clamours for my attention
without quiet, would any of us know who we are?
or would we always be a reaction to others insistance?
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