This March I will be participating in the mont
h-long Slice of Life Challenge. Each day I will be posting a ‘slice’ from my life. This year I am using Natalie Goldberg’s book Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir to provide my sparks for memoir writing. Each post will be a quick write using one of Natalie’s exercises to practice the skill of noticing and remembering.
It is hard not to slice about the coronavirus and social distancing measures that are dramatically altering our personal lives and creating a new societal normal. This prompt from Natalie actually helped me to stay centered amidst this chaos.
How has SILENCE and QUIET fit into your life?
What role are they playing in your recent days?
litcoachlady 
I look forward to your posts every day.
You made my day, Tammy!!
So true in so many ways. It is really about what you choose to do with the noise level around you. You make me think of an internal and external noise level. Being outside and moving my body silences me. I find myself taking more walks, going for longer runs, talking with neighbors outside (at a distance!) Thank you for sparking my thinking this morning.
Sage advice, Paula. I like the idea of removing external stimuli so we can engage in daydreams – creative thinking. I am a person who has always had noise around me to write, research, think. When I walk the dogs, it is mostly quiet time. I can hear the breeze rustling leaves and the birds singing. Unfortunately, sometimes my Corgi girls decide to be very noisy! It is true – it is not hard to appreciate both silence and quiet. I am going to do more thinking about this today,
“I am less grateful for the door slam of my kids heading back to college and the absence of whistling, chatting, laughing.” This made me teary. Maybe that’s just where I am today, but I suspect it’s because of your writing.
” Quiet is the triggering of an emotional stimulation, a calm”… Such beautiful writing. To be able to find calm in the midst of all the noise is the greatest gift of all.
Thank you for this.
What a beautiful analysis of silence versus quiet. I agree, there is an important difference and you described it so well. Although I love music, laughter, conversation, I crave a quiet atmosphere to when I read, write or need to think deeply. By the way, I’m really enjoying Goldberg’s books. Those 10 minutes exercises are amazing. Thanks, Paula!
So glad you enjoy it Rita. Good exercises!
Self-isolation is becoming…
https://dailyscribbles.wordpress.com/2020/03/13/a-respite-from-routine/
Sorry, Paula…Posted on the wrong page.
“The percussion of his beating heart adds to the love song” – was my favourite line.
I really enjoyed this post, Paula. My favorite posts often make me think about my own life and experiences, and this post definitely does that! I loved the line, “I am less grateful for the silence that follows the door slam of my kids heading back to college,…” I find that I cherish quiet/silence more as I get older. I’m always amazed by how quiet it is after the power goes out–all those subtle noises I don’t notice…
There are times when I need silence and times when I enjoy quiet. And I agree they are both different and both needed.
Your reflections are deep and thoughtful. The idea that silence isn’t necessarily quiet (in your head) is spot on. Thank you for your example as a writer. I learn a lot from you.