Silence Within (A '31 Days" Post)

Well, if you're going to stick your neck out at all, you might as well pull your hair out of the way, too! I thought I was really taking a risk joining the 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes project but I had no idea about the Write 31 Days project until I started noticing that my link up "neighbors" talked about both in their posts.

I've debated whether to join this other project or not and finally decided at the last minute that I might as well go for it and give it all I've got. If my goal is to stretch myself and grow my writing then I might as well challenge myself a little more. Besides, I love to "think out loud" and this gives me a great way to do it.

I've realized along the way in this journey that I am definitely a "country bumpkin" among bloggers, but I am having so much fun that I don't care. :) All I really want to do I write and challenge myself, however "countrified" I appear. So here goes nothing!

For my "topic" I've chosen to write on "31 Days to Slowing Down and Living More Simply" since I am reading Emily P. Freeman's Simply Tuesday right now and finding the need to think deeply and process, well, slowly. Writing always helps me to do that.

So my "Five Minute Free Write" portion will be enclosed with // and any extra thoughts will follow.

Prompt: Silence

// As a very introverted homeschool mama of four who is living in a busy city I often crave silence. My brain function begins to break down rapidly if there is too much commotion around me, and I switch to operating in auto-pilot, just doing the next thing until I am able to steal a few quiet moments to regain equilibrium.

Just be quiet for a minute!! Let me think! Shhh!!!!!

I am apt to shoot these pleas at my children far too often. But sometimes what I really need... is to aim them back at myself.

My heart is so full of plans, commentaries, lists, and complaints. The outside world can be silent around me, but there is still chaos within. Sometimes I am so full of words playing through my head that I struggle to hear the people around me. And I need to find silence not without, but within. //

I need to quiet all of my opinions, emotions, worries, and questions. I need to be still in my soul.

Waiting. Listening.

For quiet words that speak life, truth, and identity to me. I need to meditate on these things and let them soak deeper into my heart. I need to focus on what is said TO me rather than what I have to say about it. Because I have a lot to say most of the time. But what I really need is to be silent.

For more '31 Days' Posts click here or on the tab at the top of the page.