It was during a black out one late June evening when clarity flashed brightly through my mind.

The power went out in my small foothill filled city of Boulder Colorado a few years ago and the subsequent silence was deafening.

Although we had no radio or TV on at the time, the incredible silence that permeated the house without the hum of the refrigerator or any other electrical devices was foreign to our ears. Even camping in nature couldn’t compare to the sweet overwhelming silence that crawled through our heads.  I immediately realized I’d never experienced such inky black quiet in my life.

Stepping outside to see the entire city dark, we lit candles and played board games over wine.

It was one of the most peaceful evenings of my life.   Even though complete silence was a stranger to our overburdened nervous systems, it was instantly calming.  The silence was a black velvet blanket that took over the city and subsequently created a haven of peace.

I smiled as I  heard my neighbors laughing and talking by candle light next door, across the street and down the block.

Society as a whole  has gotten so used to the buzz of electromagnetic fields, it’s become a white noise we ignore on a daily basis. Little by little it wears on our nervous system much like pulling a thread along a frayed piece of fabric.  Before you know it, we’re tattered.

I suggest taking an evening each week without distractions. Unplug the TV and the Internet. Turn off the cell phone and silence the ringer on your home phone. If you’re a little crazy like me, unplug your refrigerator for an hour and marvel at the complete silence of your home.

What you’ll find is when you’re spending quality time with yourself and your loved ones without interruptions; you’re more present.  Without the mind numbing distraction that noise creates, it’s easier to focus in the moment and really connect with the one you’re with~or even  yourself.

Most of the time we don’t realize that spending time with someone is ruined when the time with them includes a ringing phone or movie playing in the background.

Simple distractions pull us away and interrupt our thoughts. If the evening is with yourself, enjoy the sweet peace around you with
a book, your own thoughts or a pet.  If you’re spending the moment with another person, you’ll really enjoy the with part without normal distractions tapping you on your shoulder.

Giving yourself someone you love the gift of full presence without distraction is the sweetest gift you can give.

Just pull the plug.
xo

Image courtesy of Jennifer Renee at freedigitalphotos.net