Give Yourself a TIme Out....

No man ever will unfold the 

capacities of his own intellect

who does not at least checker

his life with solitude.

- De Quincy

   I spent many years as an elementary school teacher and one of the strategies employed when children were disturbing the class was to give them a "time out".  In the class room this meant a quiet corner with a "thinking chair"...in my art room it was a desk with paper and crayons.

   We all can benefit from a regularly scheduled time out.  Our days are hectic and filled with to do lists. Busy, busy, busy but I agree with De Quincy that without a life sprinkled with solitude, times when we can just be rather than do, little growth in our contemplative life can occur.

   I like to take my time outs with my camera occasionally.  Like my recent time out on Star Island.  I'd been walking the island, absorbing the beauty and glorious weather when I came to the little cemetery.  I decided to just sit on the grass with my back to the stone wall and bask in the late day sun.  I sat there for some time with my eyes closed absorbing the ambient sounds and sunshine.  (As James Turrell says, we are "light eaters"!)

   When I finally opened my eyes this tiny bee was inches from my face, oblivious to my presence, absorbed in his work.  My brief time out brought me back into the conscious appreciation of such small and "insignificant" happenings and after the bee moved on, so did I.

   Here is a link to a wonderful poster by Karen Horneffer-Ginter on her website Full Cup, Thirsty Spirit...

50 Ways to Take a Break