Finding Quiet

It’s early morning and the blare of the clock wakes me from my slumber. It takes me a second to register what the sound is. As I reach over to hit the button, I have a split second to decide which button it will be. Will I snooze? Or will I rise to embrace the day?

Snooze usually wins.

After a couple more rounds of the battle of the buttons, I pet the kitties, hug my husband, and slide the warm, down comforter off my body and place my feet onto the cold, hardwood floor.

The promise of piping hot coffee mixed with the flavor of sweet cream brings a rush of joy to my soul every single day. It never gets old. It never bores me. I always look forward to that first sip.

On my way out the bedroom door, I grab my journals, Bible, the children’s devotional and a pen. After making my way into the living room, dim lights are turned on, the fire in the fireplace is ignited, kitties are taken care of, dishes from the night before are put away, and the pillows and blankets left scattered on the couch are fluffed and folded.

The mood is set. It is peaceful. It is quiet. It is organized. It is comfortable.

This is how most of my days begin. I have always been a creature of habit, and this seems to be more true now than ever before.

I look forward to this time in the morning before everyone has risen. It’s a moment of peace. A moment of quiet. A moment of solitude in my day. With all of us at home all day every day, I have had to find space in the schedule for these moments. Especially now that our children are older and seem to be staying up later and later. The time for just me, or my husband and I alone together, needs to be carefully crafted and carved out.

Or else it simply will not exist.

Whether introverted, or extroverted, we need our time and our space to just be by ourselves. Time for us to process our thoughts, and time to sit in quiet without any external pressures.

In different seasons of life, this time alone can be much harder to come by than others. You may be reading this and think, that sounds great, but it’s impossible. Maybe you have a newborn who is up at varying hours of the night, or a toddler who rises with the sun. Maybe you are ready for bed as soon as the sun sets, feeling exhausted from all of the demands of the day.

Or maybe you are on the other end of the spectrum. Maybe you are in a season of life where you are spending most of your time alone, and are longing for the company of family and friends. Over the past months, finding ways to safely connect has been more challenging, and this has left some feeling more isolated than ever before.

Whatever season you are in, I pray your needs are met. Whether that is finding a moment by yourself to rest and rejuvenate, or finding a way to safely connect with loved ones.

I know personally, I have needed to carve out space for myself in creative ways. I have developed my morning routine. I enjoy waiting in the car for my daughter while she is inside at her orthodontist appointment more than I ever knew was possible, and sometimes, when I am out in the car driving by myself, I will turn up my music and intentionally take the long way home – just for a few more minutes of solitude.

Years ago I may have felt a tinge of guilt saying that. I have now come to understand that needing time by myself isn’t a slight on anyone. It isn’t in any way saying I don’t love my people, or want to be with them. It’s just acknowledging the need for space. And the need for quiet.

Which I believe is something all of us need on some level.

In this season, for some, that quiet space is hard to come by. And for others, the quiet is hard to escape.

Whatever space you find yourself in today, whether needing quiet, or needing company – I hope you are able to find that moment. And in that moment, I hope that you find refreshment and rejuvenation for your soul.

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