I have a new habit for the drive home from work – I keep the radio off and let the silence wrap itself around me. In the past I would use the drive home as a time to sing, decidedly off-key, to try and restore the energy that is sucked out of me with the dayjob. But now I find the silence makes a good transition from a crowded time to a quiet time to what I hope will be a writing time.
I’ve thought of B on and off throughout my day. He has a twang in his voice at times. I don’t know where it comes from yet I know it belongs to him. He argued with someone and he is homeless again and I don’t know why. I don’t know what will happen when I sit down to write.
A few hours later I have 200 words or maybe less. One scene that contradicts everything else I’ve said so far. One new character. One lost character. Three index cards of notes.
Plot still MIA.
I stand at the window and watch the birds feed, count the number of new poppies that have bloomed and wonder what Mr. Mac would say if he saw this yard. I should try for another scene, or at least another sentence or two or three but instead I reach for the camera hoping to catch sight of the woodpecker that has begun to visit the giant Yucca next door.
I listen for B. but all I hear is the sound of squabbling birds.
Hubby says dinner is ready.
Not a moment too soon.
We just saw a pair of Gamble quail in our backyard, they had a lease a dozen little dots swarming the ground around them as they moved across. Little striped peeping dots.
Oh I am jealous if you have quail. 🙂 We were at my in-laws last night and on the way home a pair of quail darted across the road. I wish we could afford to live out in the more rural area so we could have more creatures like them.
We didn’t see them much when we lived in town either. It seems to me though, as Phoenix continues to spread, we are beginning to see them in more populated areas as the developers develop around them.
That peaceful, quite time in our lives is so important. I’m glad you found a time for it.
xo
Thank you, Jo.
I think your idea of turning off the radio is great–silence has to be filled, and if we’re doing good at staying in touch with our projects, sometimes they step into fill that silence for us. 🙂
Indeed. I was amazed at how peaceful I felt as soon as it was quiet. There is way too much noise in my life, real noise and emotional noise, I can take all the silence I can get. 🙂
PS – I may be emailing you for some brainstorming later this week.
Email away!
Isn’t it interesting when we accidentally find ourselves caught in a silent moment? Creates a whole body sigh…..
Oh I love that – a whole body sigh. Beautiful.
I keep trying for a decent photo of the Western tanager (bright yellow w/ black bars and an orange head!) that has decided to visit my birdbath this year. Actually, there are two or three. But they don’t light long enough for me to get a good shot. Two evenings I’ve sat quietly on my deck, hoping they will mistake me for furniture, but they stay stubbornly away.
I should open my WIP right now! I started it with a clear plan in my head … and it’s veering away from me, too. 🙂
I love that – hoping they’l mistake you for furniture. I try to do the same thing. I could get away with it if not for the purple finches who are so darn flighty and then they scare everyone else away.
It’s pretty amazing that I have any birds at all since there is just one tree in the front and one in the back and nothing else.
I hope you get your picture.
What a great idea – quiet time in the car. I’m going to try that next time! Maybe I’ll hear voices! 🙂
If you do, I have the perfect place for you! 😉
LOL.
I hear voices all the time and it totally freaks out one of my friends. He loves me but I scare him.
Oh….my….God.
That quiet time is so important. I’m glad you found a way to work it into your day!
Thank you, Dori. It seems the older I get, the more quiet I need. Perhaps life is just much more complicated now and it takes me longer to reach that quiet space within.