Image and text copyrighted by Barry L. Lively
The marsh was beyond quiet, it was still. It was not asleep, it was still, watchful. Nothing moved.
If we could speed up our perception and look more closely at the intervals between what we think of as events, perhaps we could experience stillness there. Possibly a “flavored” stillness which in some way reflects the most recent events. But we are usually thinking about something in the past or anticipating something else in the future. Appreciation of stillness means living in the Now.
Claude Debussy is credited with saying that “Music is the silence between the notes.” Now that might also be “flavored” stillness, stillness in and of music.
I moved on. We later walked back the same way and the heron was gone. The surface of the water was ruffling in the breeze.
Spirit and Seeing 
I hope I can someday learn to be still. Until then, I guess I’ll have to live through your images and words.
Great thought, Barry. Having seen how quickly my children have grown up and how quickly nearly 28 years of marriage (so far) has flown by, I’m learning to pause in the “here and now” because it can quickly become the past.
Lovely thoughts ! I think you are much better at stillness than I am.
After the frenetic past couple of years we’ve had, I think this is precisely why we love to be out in nature…..traveling…..meandering…..freeing our minds of clutter and enjoying the stillness. Now if I could only learn to do that at home! 🙂 Lovely thoughts, Barry! And photography!
Thanks, Christal, I’m looking forward to seeing your work. More importantly, seeing you and Norm.
If we could speed up our perception and look more closely at the intervals between what we think of as events, perhaps we could experience stillness there. Possibly a “flavored” stillness which in some way reflects the most recent events. But we are usually thinking about something in the past or anticipating something else in the future. Appreciation of stillness means living in the Now.