This morning I write from a hotel in Indianapolis, my dear friend who traveled here with me still asleep across the room. It’s quiet now.
I miss my family. Tonight, we fly home.
These two days I’ve spent time with a few women I’ve known for years and many more women I just met. The combination of conversation, listening, and soul-shaking laughter is good for me.
Writing for 31 days straight isn’t the hard part. It’s the writing for 31 days straight and then hitting publish. Sometimes I just don’t have anything to say. It will take me a few days to process some things from this conference. I’m a slow absorber.
“When we make room for silence, we make room for ourselves. Silence invites the unknown, the untamed, the wild, the shy, the unfathomable – that which rarely has a chance to surface within us.”
Gunilla Norris, Sharing Silence
Now that my talk here is over, I can feel myself starting to move on to the next deadline in my head. That’s a problem and I’m not okay with it. The time of silence this morning brings this to the surface. Today I want to practice relief.
This is day 13.
This is a post in a series, 31 Days to Hush. You can click here to see a list of all the posts, updated daily. If you would like to receive these quiet thoughts in your email inbox, subscribe now.
I really respect you for writing everyday. Last year I enjoyed 31 days a lot. This year I’m finding ones I’ve followed aren’t 31 days at all. There’s only a post every so often which seems to spoil it a bit. So thank you for keeping at it!
I have a friend at the conference this weekend. I’m 50 miles north. Briefly considered little tiny jealous pity party yesterday, but was quickly reminded that I am exactly.where.God.wants.me.to.BE. Cocooned in my little world getting filled up with more of Him and less of me. Loving my people, listening to His sweet song over my life.
Your posts on Hush are so calming, thank you!
You don’t know me, but sometimes when I read your blog posts (and your books) I feel like you’re in my head. I love to read your posts because I hope that in more years and with more practice of being graceful, I will learn more of these lessons. After this one very rough week of student teaching, I find myself moving on to the next deadline, the next day’s plans, without practicing relief or even rest. Thank you for this reminder.
Thanks for that quote, Emily – it captures exactly what I’ve been thinking about lately (the peace of quiet, the relief in silence…) Happy processing 🙂
Loved the quote.
Be gentle with yourself, Emily.
I love and I hate this silence. But I know I need it. Thank you, again.