The kids are back in school, and what are you doing? A friend told me she's learning to enjoy the quiet.
In The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini said, "Quiet is peace. Tranquility. Quiet is turning down the volume knob on life. Silence is pushing the off button. Shutting it down. All of it."
The library can help. Quiet music and quiet books are a good start. The CD Classics for Relaxation features beautiful and soothing music like Pachelbel's Canon in D Major. Another great choice would be the CD Clair de Lune, by Claude Debussy.
A favourite quiet book is the classic Walden by Henry David Thoreau.
A more contemporary one could be Open City by Teju Cole, about a young psychiatrist who walks the streets of New York City in order to relieve the stresses of his working life.
Or, perhaps the beautiful story and magical language of Susan Morrow's The Name of Things, describing her journey from rural New York to the deserts of Egypt and Sudan.
And how will the quiet last when the kids come home from school? Meditation may be the key.
Shortcuts to Inner Peace: 70 Simple Paths to Everyday Serenity, by Ashley Davis Bush, is full of simple and effective tips that can be incorporated into everyday life.
It's easy to read and easy to do, and it can be the inspiration for a calmer, quieter life.
Albert Tobler examines the basics of mindfulness, from breathing techniques to self-awareness and meditation, in The Rough Guide to Mindfulness.
He promises to give you the tools to create more peace, confidence, energy, and self-control.
And, if my friend wants to delve further into learning about mindfulness, Practicing Mindfulness: An Introduction to Meditation will be on her list. This audiobook by Mark W. Muesse has 24 detailed lectures and numerous guided exercises.
Mental focusing can change the habits of your mind, creating awareness and calm.
Enjoy the quiet all year long.
