The Gift of Quiet Moments

I’m excited to welcome Doreen Frick to the blog today. She brings a unique voice and thoughtful insight to embracing quiet moments that I think will resonate with you. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this special guest post. 

Summer makes me think of quiet moments. Of fireflies and rescued little birds, sprinklers and dandelions, toads in the garden, barbecues and Kool-Aid.

My grown daughter, a mother to six, has two days of precious quiet while her kids are at summer camp, the beach, or a water park. Each one has something to do.

No, she isn’t lonely and has plenty to do, too, like getting a wisdom tooth pulled. Or sorting through a long-overdue to-do list she’s put on the back burner for such a time as this.

Remember those days? (Or maybe you’re still in them.) When you needed a “two-day vacation,” not to relax, but just to catch up on everything life made you put on hold.

When that time comes, my daughter locks her door and hangs a polite little sign that says something like, “Please come back later.”

She always gives me a heads-up, and I always cheer her on.

Finding Quiet Moments Amid the Chaos

Because that’s what we women do.

With that freedom, we get our feet back under us, find our bearings, get back on track, take a little breather, and tackle the to-do list. We reclaim a bit of order, clarity, and peace in our lives.

When I was younger, my favorite retreat was a 10-minute drive from home. A shaded spot by a cool stream where I could rest my weary body and mind and refresh my soul.

Years later, I showed the place to my husband. He laughed a little, never realizing how overwhelmed I once felt.

Sometimes we need to take what we can, when we can, and help others respect our busy lives.

The truth is, a sound mind sometimes begins with a quiet place in the shade of a tree. Perhaps peacefully dozing off while making a mental checklist of what needs to be done.

Lessons from a Kindred Writer

Just last week, I had one of those “need some space” moments. All I wanted to do was sort through my book collection and decide what to do with all of them. I carefully packaged some books to give away. Books I loved and wanted my friends to enjoy, too.

Then, I came across a stack of books by an author I admire deeply. This writer taught me so much. She, too, had to “shut herself away” for a few days each month so she could write uninterrupted.

As she grew older, her writing became richer. Her journals reflected her great love for beauty friends, pets, and great writing.

After reading her third journal, I realized she gave voice to what mattered most. What she loved, wrestled with, and ultimately learned from.

I could relate.

The author made me feel like my words can be like a water can, poured out to refresh someone, somewhere with my writing. She gave me hope that my words, written in quiet moments, can take flight, carrying hope, comfort, or joy wherever they land.

Because in the stillness, we don’t just find our words. We find ourselves.