Inspiration: Grateful for the Quietude…
“Quietude, which some men cannot abide because it reveals their inward poverty, is as a palace of cedar to the wise, for along its hallowed courts the King in his beauty deigns to walk.” Charles H. Spurgeon
Inspiration: Grateful for the Quietude... butterfly watching
Inspiration: Grateful for the Quietude... fishing
Nature is beautiful but most of us are too busy to enjoy it… For every moment we spend caught up in the hustle and bustle of a demanding world, there is a toll exacted on our nerves and even on our soul. We need time away from the din to sit quietly in a park or under an ancient tree and relax… We need to seize the moment to just rest and do nothing but watch the butterflies and busy bees gather their nectar; to watch fish poke through the water’s surface to catch a glimpse of you, of us… The quietude will come, but we must put our gadgets down…. just for a little while.
When was the last time you went fishing? When did you last sit on a smooth rock in nature and watch the birds flit from shrub to tree? When did you last listen to the tick-tock of that magnificent clock caged behind your ribs? When did you first notice that silence has its own unique sound? If you have found those moments, then be grateful for the Quietude
Inspiration: Grateful for the Quietude... lily flower of life
I hear it all the time, the lovebirds sing it in popular songs; look around my dear friend, stay a while and smell the lilies; the flowers of life… Let go of the crankiness, shake away the mental cobwebs, forget the scathing comments, biting words, admonishments and scornful looks of those scoured by endless work. They are the walking dead, dazzled by worn suits… one stroke away from an attack; a heart that took a wrong turn. Turn away and seek the peace that comes from gauging when to pause and when to proceed. Where is your quietude? Find the time to be silent inside as well as out. We need to be grateful for those moments when we can and must sit and be still… clarity and creativity, even happiness will meet us there.
“. . . these are the times of dreamy quietude, when beholding the tranquil beauty and brilliancy of the ocean’s skin, one forgets the tiger heart that pants beneath it; and would not willingly remember, that this velvet paw but conceals a remorseless fang.” Herman Melville
Inspiration: Grateful for the Quietude... arctic spring at sea...
Inspiration: Grateful for the Quietude... Rhine River flowing
When will you sit by the river and watch the sun set? When will you find the time to enjoy the internal music of the gods inside your head if you do not remove your headsets? Those phones and gadgets that keep us connected can strip us of our need for healing solitude. Don’t let your time be taken away by another text message… Be still.
Time ticks away and we postpone our day of rejuvenating rest because we believe the day will come when we will come to rest at earth’s door. We will rest by some obscure ocean, at some exotic isle on vacation, or perhaps permanently UNDERGROUND… away from other scarred men and women who, like us, waited too long to sit and be grateful for the moments of quietude.
What are your thoughts? How do you gauge when it is time to take some rest to reflect and be quiet? Do share. Thank You! 🙂
Positive Motivation Tip: The quiet times in our lives strengthen us for the tough storms, but to be strong, we must embrace the quietude and be grateful for the rest.
Related Articles
- Tick … Tock … (quiveringexuberance.wordpress.com)
- Orb of Serenity (anindyablogs.wordpress.com)
- Once Again (zen-traveler.blogspot.com)
- I am yearning (greatpoetrymhf.wordpress.com)
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: Photo of butterfly, Rhine River, Fishing scene, Flower, and arctic spring via Wikipedia
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
“Those phones and gadgets that keep us connected can strip us of our need for healing solitude. Don’t let your time be taken away by another text message… Be still.” Elizabeth, our time is very precious. One day we are here the next we will be gone. If we can do any good, we need to do it. ^To go without^ that is the best question. Great post ♥
Thank you! Your thoughts are especially apt with the arrival of beautiful Spring. I think nature is beautiful in all seasons, but nothing inspires me more than the transition from one season to the next. The storms, the greening of the landscape, the blooming flowers, nature splashing the earth with new colors or wiping away those of a previous season–all of these phenomena heighten my awareness of nature. They invigorate me.
Oh my, this is such a timely post. I haven’t been on a beach or a mountain in months. I miss the quiet and peace of nature.
“We must embrace the quietude and be grateful for the rest.” Amen.
Sometimes we just need to stop what we’re doing and smell the coffee – or the flowers in this case. Nature is so beautiful but we don’t take the time to sit back and just enjoy it. When we do, we realize that we should have done it ages ago, because it makes us feel sooooo good.
Great post Elizabeth, you have said it so well and the photos are gorgeous – they calm the soul inside us.
is beautiful but most of us are too busy to enjoy it…
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frizz: great topic, Eliz! they should choose it for the weekly photo challenge!
another good post. one of the perks of my photo hobby is to go out in nature alone. i can clear my head or sort things out–very therapeutic.
What beautiful photos!
Quietude is important for us now.
We should escape the hustle and bustle of a city and enjoy natural soundscape.
Thank you for sharing these lovely photos and your advice. Nature speaks louder than any other voice to proclaim the glory of Creator God. I can spend ten minutes sitting on a bench listening to the mockingbirds sing, feeling a breeze move my hair, and looking into the treetops and know that God is on His throne and all is well. Blessing to you, Elizabeth…
A very timely post Elizabeth. I am presently working on a post (hopefully completed this weekend) entitled “Go Out an See”. It is a photographic journey of this past Wednesday’s four hour bike ride through the Western NC mountains. There were so many scenes of serenity, and of time standing still in the old barns and farms. After cresting one climb, there was a need for quiet and recollection. I marvelled at the surrounding mountains and found a moment of peace.
Yes we have to search out our moments of peace and quiet.
I really enjoyed this post.
Really liked this post – I’m not even sure I realized that “quietude” was a word, but it’s great! Quietude is something I have too little of.
“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)
“Those phones and gadgets that keep us connected can strip us of our need for healing solitude. Don’t let your time be taken away by another text message. Texting is something I don’t do! But,I did get a new Droid cellphone-now! that is an experience!! its trying to figure how to manuver everything ! and how everything works !! 🙂
I so believe in taking “Quiet Moments” to enjoy the beauty of nature and rejuvenating the mind. Sitting by the sea-watching the waves and the sounds of the ocean’s wispers-is my ideal “still time”.
You are so right..andwhen I think about the times I have been in the middle of a beautiful moment and just muttered what a beautiful day..but did not stop to relish it!
Great topic… Quietude is what i try to find in my everyday life but is really far most of the time…
Timely! Lately I watch the scurrying of friends and wonder why the urgency over things that aren’t urgent.
We live in a disposable consumerism world where tastes change on a whim and people need more stimulation.
The ads tell us where to go and what to do to stay and be sexy…
At the end of the day, its all exhausting even pointless.
But how do we take stock of what matters if we don’t slow down or even stop?
I will go sit on a rock this weekend and just breathe. We all need time out.
Beautiful post and photos and I agree with Frizztext!
B
Wonderful reminder, Eliz. Especially enjoyed:
Nature is beautiful but most of us are too busy to enjoy it… For every moment we spend caught up in the hustle and bustle of a demanding world, there is a toll exacted on our nerves and even on our soul. We need time away from the din to sit quietly in a park or under an ancient tree and relax… We need to seize the moment to just rest and do nothing but watch the butterflies and busy bees gather their nectar; to watch fish poke through the water’s surface to catch a glimpse of you, of us… The quietude will come, but we must put our gadgets down…. just for a little while.
Last Earth Day, we noticed walkers without earbuds smiled more and connected with nature . . . and those with gadgets seemed stressed and ill-at-ease. Find time to UNPLUG.
I love the photos, particuarly the lily flower of life shot – that is glorious.
I must say I do not like fishing at all, but certainly I can sit by the sea and listen to the crashing of the waves for hours.
This has been extra true (if there is such a concept) for me for the last 12 months “For every moment we spend caught up in the hustle and bustle of a demanding world, there is a toll exacted on our nerves and even on our soul.” I have found it takes me every Saturday to just soothe my jangled nerves. The world has been a little too demanding of me, and I look forward to the day I can just lie on the beach and listen to the waves.
By your words, you transported me back in time. To a time of teen carefree years when I could sit by the river, watch the current pull the branches along, smell the fresh scents after a cleansing spring rain. To sounds of water rushing by, so calming and peaceful.
The beauty in having a small child is that he has the need and desire to experience all of that calming, soothing time again. We do not do it often enough, though I know how healthy that would be for both of us. Inspiring as always, Elizabeth and beautifully written and dressed with spectacular photos!
Read and tweeted yesterday from one of those pesky gadgets! 😉