Shhh...

I came home from work last night around 8:20pm. I dropped my purse on the chair in the living room as usual. Went to my bedroom to change out of work clothes, as usual. Then, I did something out of my routine. I sat down on the bed, closed my eyes and just concentrated on my breathing. My mind stopped running over everything that had happened throughout the day and became calm. When I opened my eyes I saw a book I had started and never finished sitting next to my bed. I picked it up and began reading where I left off. Two hours later I heard my phone beep in the other room and realized I had been sitting in complete silence all that time. The new neighbor, who likes to play tribal beats at 6:45am, was apparently out for the evening. The police must have been busy in other parts of the city because the station across the street was quiet. The ticking of the hands of my alarm clock faded into the background. Even the usual creaks and Gnome noises that my apartment makes on a regular basis had ceased for the time being. And do you know what? It was beautiful. I had never realized how relaxing silence could be.

Eventually, though, I got up, washed my face and answered the text message on my phone. But I went right back to my room, got under the covers and read another two chapters before calling it a night. I woke this morning feeling rested and full of energy.

And then I came to work.