I love silence and solitude. I expect I need them more than many (most?) people. I think my need arises from my early days playing alone as an only child in a rural area with only one or two other kids to play with.
Today, in my golden years I crave times of silence and solitude. But, as with you, Harley, my mind is hardly ever silent. Thoughts of all kinds are always ricocheting around in it. Once a week I spend 20 minutes doing something called Centering Prayer where I try to still my mind and just be present. It is not easy. I'm seldom successful in getting more than a minute or two of true stillness. Those with more experience and success than me say that I need two twenty-minute sessions per day. I just can't get myself to commit to that.
Bob, my wife is the opposite of me. She craves noise. She sometimes has 3 TVs on in 3 different rooms. And then she will talk to herself if she has no one to talk with. I don't talk enough for her. She has family members who are the same way. My family on the other hand is more quiet. I need the quiet to think and to encourage my creativity. When I have a problem I go deep inside and shut out the world. When my wife has a problem, she talks it out—repeating herself multiple time. As they say opposites attract.
I have doodled most of my life, particularly when I sit in meetings. I usually have more doodles than notes. I took my first class in art in 2005. I discovered Zentangle in 2012 and have been doing it since. In 2016 I was trained to teach Zentangle. Here is a link to some of my work on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/kinghaiku75/
I work in a very social environment, and I love the engagement yet it is every bit a distraction! So often, when I'm off, I need to hide a bit to regroup. Retirement is coming and although my wife will be there, I am worried for all that silence without my people!
After I retired the first time, I taught Zentangle art. Then I went back to work full time for 15 months until the company was sold and I was laid off. Now I work part time as a freelancer. If you want to be around people, I recommend volunteering. Life does not stop when we retire. For me, retirement is a myth.
I love silence and solitude. I expect I need them more than many (most?) people. I think my need arises from my early days playing alone as an only child in a rural area with only one or two other kids to play with.
Today, in my golden years I crave times of silence and solitude. But, as with you, Harley, my mind is hardly ever silent. Thoughts of all kinds are always ricocheting around in it. Once a week I spend 20 minutes doing something called Centering Prayer where I try to still my mind and just be present. It is not easy. I'm seldom successful in getting more than a minute or two of true stillness. Those with more experience and success than me say that I need two twenty-minute sessions per day. I just can't get myself to commit to that.
Bob, my wife is the opposite of me. She craves noise. She sometimes has 3 TVs on in 3 different rooms. And then she will talk to herself if she has no one to talk with. I don't talk enough for her. She has family members who are the same way. My family on the other hand is more quiet. I need the quiet to think and to encourage my creativity. When I have a problem I go deep inside and shut out the world. When my wife has a problem, she talks it out—repeating herself multiple time. As they say opposites attract.
I hear you, Harley. Opposites do attract. That’s ironic, too, as I think about it because we look for similar interests when choosing a mate.
Hey Harley- Great quotes here. And who knew you taught art! Are you still teaching? If not, you should.
Yes, Thalia, I still teach Zentangle. Just not as frequent. I taught a couple of classes in January. And do you draw or paint?
Yes I love painting and drawing. How long have you been painting/drawing, Harley?
I have doodled most of my life, particularly when I sit in meetings. I usually have more doodles than notes. I took my first class in art in 2005. I discovered Zentangle in 2012 and have been doing it since. In 2016 I was trained to teach Zentangle. Here is a link to some of my work on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/kinghaiku75/
I like the blue circles best. Great color theme.
Do you have any of your art posted online, Thalia? If you want more information on Zentangle, go here: Zentangle.com.
I work in a very social environment, and I love the engagement yet it is every bit a distraction! So often, when I'm off, I need to hide a bit to regroup. Retirement is coming and although my wife will be there, I am worried for all that silence without my people!
After I retired the first time, I taught Zentangle art. Then I went back to work full time for 15 months until the company was sold and I was laid off. Now I work part time as a freelancer. If you want to be around people, I recommend volunteering. Life does not stop when we retire. For me, retirement is a myth.
Yes, that is helpful. I could see doing that. I looked up Zentangle and it sounds interesting.