Quiet moments

 

Every so often, I’ll head outside at night and sit for a while on our deck.

I usually don’t turn on the lights, since part of the reason I’m headed there is to gaze at the stars. And tonight, that brought about a pretty special few minutes.

It started with a bottle of liqueur Terry and I found on vacation a few years ago. It’s a wonderfully smooth coffee caramel pecan blend, and I had poured a bit into a glass to bring out with me.

Next door, our neighbor had a small fire burning. I could hear young voices, and the idea of holiday family gatherings brought on a smile.

In the distance, the first fireflies of the year were dancing about. Not many. In two or three weeks the yard will be a dazzling array of firefly fireworks, but for now it was enough to bring on a thought of upcoming days.

I found a seat on the deck, settled in and enjoyed almost an hour out there. The fire burned out next door, the fireflies continued their performance, and a few shooting stars were visible. Past, present and future swirling around in my mind.

I think we all have a place we look toward for solitude, security and comfort. In fairness, we may or may not be alone when we enter that zone, but it’s a place where we can clear minds and recharge ourselves.

In all sincerity, I was simply expecting a star-filled sky. Stare for a bit and maybe put some constellations in order. A glass of something nice to sip on was the anticipated bonus. I ended up with a lot more from the experience on this occasion.

Am I looking too deeply into things by finding connections between the origin of the liqueur in our house and the shooting stars overhead? Perhaps. But I’m not looking to evaluate the accuracy or consider coincidences. As I told a friend recently about something else where I had drawn some cheerful thoughts… water misting in the air from the house, sunny sky above, rainbow appears, it’s not exactly like spotting a moose tapdancing across the lawn with a bouquet of balloons. What I get from the experience is what I get from it, and I’m choosing the smile accompanied by a warmth of reassurance.

How do you find moments like this for yourself?

Do you curl up with a good book? Maybe your peace is with the headphones on and music really loud. I’ll bet a few of you build a fire in the yard and invite some friends over to talk into the night.

Whatever you do, I hope you are finding moments like I stumbled into tonight. It was an unexpected and delightful combination that meant a lot to me. It was an evening I needed in more ways than I care to admit (and, frankly, don’t even care to acknowledge I have hoped I might find).

These quiet moments don’t need to be truly quiet. They don’t need to be spent alone. They just need to bring you a bit of good cheer.

Have a good night… and a wonderful tomorrow.

 

If you have any comments or questions, please e-mail me at Bob@inmybackpack.com