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Friday, October 06, 2006

Seeking sanctuary


silence is my friend today
silence that’s wrapped in the gentle noises of other people’s lives
I chose it, this silence
because it feeds me
gives me nourishment for the rest of my noisy life
I walked away from busy streets
and found this sanctuary of silence
a walk through the cemetery
soft moss beneath me on concrete steps
a duck floating on the pond
children laughing at the donkey eating a carrot
a girl with funky jewellery in animated conversation
young girls running through the grass
the big docile dog on a leash
venders selling carrots, apple juice, and buckwheat honey
trees shedding yesterday’s leaves
an abandoned plastic halloween mask on the bench beside me
remnants of other noisy lives
searching for sanctuary in this green and sacred space
here in this silence
I am not failure or coward
I am not mother or boss
I am not tripping over my mistakes
I am not forgetting to be compassionate
I am not foolish or incompetent
I am only
the woman with the notebook
sitting alone
keeping company with silence

7 comments:

Dale said...

Lovely photograph! You look so serene. Welcome home, Heather.

Liz said...

That picture of you, Heather, is so beautiful. It looks like a magazine cover!

Anonymous said...

I know what it is like to keep company with silence. Sometimes it's my only friend. :)

Gina said...

Lovely! The picture and the post!

M J said...

That post made me realize how much life goes on around you. I struggle with depression sometimes and find that it is hard to be a participant in life rather than just an observer.

Very poignant.

Linda said...

I'm happy for you that you were able to find this time during your trip.

Anonymous said...

Lovely photo and beautiful words. I too am a fan of silence.