Blogging from A to Z, the letter Q.

When do you feel quiet?

I feel quiet walking in the woods or on the beach. There is a path through the woods two blocks from me. It is only one block long. But my heart immediately quiets when I go there, even for just that block. Last time I walked though it, a young wild rabbit froze to hide. He was right by the path and perfectly visible. I stopped and waited a little and then walked forward. He panicked when I got close and dived for the briars.

My yard quiets my heart: trees and flowers. (Except when I notice that I should mow again.) The sky, the clouds, the stars all quiet me.

Yesterday a friend asks, “Do you think life is hard?”

“Yes,” I say, “I think it’s often hard but beautiful too.”

The photograph is from Deception Pass, about a month ago. Moss and rocks quiet my heart too.