31 Days of Stillness

I've come up with a new harebrained scheme.  The scheme itself isn't so harebrained, but the fact that I am trying to launch it whilst in Southern California for a family wedding, trying to post a blog before rushing off to rehearsal dinner and introducing the babysitter to the assembly of cousins she'll be watching? That's the harebrained bit.

So.  A bunch of bloggers, inspired by The Nester and her blog series last October, have banded together to participate in 31 Days - a month of blog posts on a theme.

I've been thinking about the idea of Stillness for a while now.  (Maybe all mothers of young kids think about stillness on a daily basis?)  So for thirty-one days I'll be meditating on Stillness in our lives.  I'd love to have you all along on the ride.  Some days in my life offer more chance for reflection than others; on the uniquely non-still days we may have to content ourselves with a photo of a small moment of stillness in my day.

Today, in the midst of preparations, here was my small moment of stillness:

A beautiful lunch with the loveliest of friends, in the California sunshine.

Kids singing together, toddlers stripping in the paddling pool, soccer balls ricocheting.

Here was the stillness we needed, stillness in the presence of friends, and their kids.

Stillness of heart, knowing you are in a place where you are loved.

The very happiest kind of stillness.