The night certainly didn’t start out that way. After getting home from work early – and realizing it was going to be a long-anticipated warm weekend in Ohio – we decided to celebrate. One thing led to another, the kids wanted to build a bonfire, and the next thing we knew, we were roasting marshmallows with the neighbors in our driveway. (It’s called urban camping -- we have to be creative.)
At about 10:00 p.m., Doug looked at me like, I was just trying to sit outside and enjoy the weather, did you have to turn it into a party? But deep down, I knew he was having fun. Even Doug likes our neighbors. He turned in by 10:30 p.m., but the rest of us were still going strong – a few more neighbors even came over. I put my kids to bed and came back outside to enjoy the fresh air.
As midnight approached, my neighbors said their goodbyes and told me I should just go to bed. Gosh, you’ve had a long day Susan, you should really turn in. We don’t want to keep you up.
Everyone left, and it was just me sitting in the driveway. And it was silent.
Did I go inside right away? Of course not. Silence is something that I’ve learned to appreciate – I’ve even learned to covet. As I looked into the fire, I had time to think without interruption. In a matter of 10 minutes, my spirit was renewed, my head was clear, and I was ready for the weekend.
Whether or not you prefer “background noise” or walk around with an IPod strapped to your head, we all need some peace and quiet once in awhile.
When’s the last time you had a moment of silence?
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