Quiet Space

Breakfast For Your Soul

While I don’t believe in prescriptions for living, I do believe in quiet space and rocking chairs. They free your mind and open your heart. One of my best investments in comfort is the solid rocking chair on our porch that sits facing east for the new day. Most mornings I step outside to an ebony sky. The last few stars are yawning. I’m mummy-wrapped in fleece from head to toe with a furry fuchsia robe and old ankle-high shearling slippers. With coffee in hand, I rock and sip as the stars fade and the morning light floods the sky. It’s a setting for being mindful and for meditation.

With a hint of the new day backyard birds sing. Some smooth, some brittle, their collective noise like an orchestra tuning. The curious chorus continues until the sky turns blue and the sun ascends tall pines in my neighbor’s yard. Then a new sound emerges. It’s the low rumble from the first wave of cars beyond our little forest. Its soothing like the white noise from a conch shell. I rock until peace is in my pores.

In the summer, sometimes I rock at noon as well. The sky can’t match the sunrise but the garden can. It’s filled with soulful offerings like lavender and rosemary, bee balm and roses. Last summer I made friends with the daisies who grow beside the rocker. Three capital white blooms introduced themselves in June while a gang of newbies waited their turn below. The blooms leaned to me in salutation, and I said, “Hello.” My quiet space became a haven.

Having the daisies live so close, I saw them rise and unfold throughout the summer. First with tight green buds and then with emancipated petals. Tall blooms stood topped with circles of white petals and golden, nubby yolks. In August, when heads drooped and petals curled, I trimmed their stems like an undertaker. 

Sometimes our dogs nap at my feet. I rock in sync with their sleepy breath. There’s a lovely memory of our dog Clarissa, flat-out on the porch, resting on my right. I absorb the pleasure in the moment, the nourishment, because my mind is quiet. My wish for any anxious soul is a quiet space. It’s as healing as anything but so hard to craft. Consider creating one as a holiday gift to yourself. Merry, merry! xoxo, Maureen