Make Space For Some Nothing In Your Life

The other day, something interesting happened.

I had a moment while sitting in an upstairs room at the back of my home.

I had been running errands all day, and it felt a little like swinging from vine to vine, with no breaks in between.

I had visited with a friend or two, and had some unintended, intense conversations that took a bit more time than I had anticipated.

Then I had to run to another town for an appointment, and quickly run back, and as I was getting ready to meet a friend for an outdoor evening get-together, it hit me.

Being an introvert, people like to think that it means you’re quiet, and don’t like to be around people. I’m not what you’d call quiet, and I do enjoy people, but when I am with many of them, or having an intense experience with them, I tend to burn out quickly. My battery just wears down and it takes me some time to bounce back.

I’ve learned that I can’t have two full days of fun on a weekend. I have to have one day of activity, and one day of rest. And the more intense or longer the activity, the longer I will need to rest.

So as I took a moment to pause between activities, I sat in the big soft brown chair in the upstairs room at the back of my house, and noticed… something.

THE NOTHING.

The Nothing is what I noticed.

I live on a very busy road, near an intersection, and it is rarely very quiet, much less soundless. And this is what got my attention.

I listened.

I sat motionless on the big soft brown chair and just… listened.

I strained to hear anything at all, and I couldn’t. I waited, and nothing was all I heard.

THE NOTHING!

In fact, I heard so much Nothing that I wasn’t sure if I was hearing properly, or at all. It was actually difficult to listen to Nothing. So I made a movement, just to have a point of reference. Yes, I was hearing just fine.

And as I sat in the big soft brown chair listening to Nothing, I thought…

“Isn’t this FABULOUS!”

It was like the world had stopped, and my brain could just sit and soak up this incredible space of Nothingness.

I didn’t have to meditate, I didn’t have to chant, or sit in any particular position. I didn’t have to hear anything that changed my thoughts, or suggested anything that I could or should be doing. It was like a suspended moment of total relief, and it was *so* welcome.

I caught myself smiling at this splendfiderous moment and started to chuckle to myself. This moment was special. This moment was calming. This moment was so totally empty and yet filled with something amazing. And I could come back to this place anytime I wanted to, and it cost Nothing at all.

Having discovered this special place of Nothing, I have visited it often since. It doesn’t matter what time of day, or how energized I am when I get there. It’s a welcome place to be, and it doesn’t even have to last that long to have a deep effect, either.

A nice quiet place where Nothing ever has to happen. Kind of like a brain vacation.

Go ahead, try it. I strongly suggest making space for some Nothing in your life. There’s definitely something special in the silence.

Photo by Stephanie Harvey on Unsplash