IF you want to build a ship, don't herd people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.

stop and smell the roses

February 12, 2007

 

Most people have a favorite spot that helps them to think and relax, a place where they can lose themselves and indulge in calm reflection.

A few find it in the wide expanse of a lush, green meadow, or a sheer rocky outcrop. Others find solace in walking along a deserted beach, while some prefer the solitude of the mountains. There are those who derive undiluted pleasure in the rugged, untamed charms of the outback, and still others who favor a quiet walk in a meandering country lane while they sort out their thoughts.

 

 

Some need only a few square feet of space in their study, along with a comfortable chair, a favorite book or drink, and a well-placed window. Others eschew solitude and prefer basking in the company of those who stimulate their mind; some turn to music, or sewing, or sketching. A few go sailing, preferring the isolation of being surrounded by water on all sides.

There are a few lucky souls who can contemplate and relax anywhere — even in the midst of bustling crowds. These are usually the folks who find it easy to tune out the rest of the world while they quietly immerse themselves (likely with iPods strapped to their ears) in whatever it is that preoccupies them.

For those who barely have the time to sit back long enough to relax, one option would be to imagine yourself lollygagging in some beach or climbing some hilly summit. The trick, I think, is to keep that picture alive in your mind, and to nurse the hope that soon — one of these days, perhaps — you'll get there. Meanwhile, there are several things screaming to be done.

This thought is nicely encapsulated in the last few lines of Robert Frost's Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening (one of my favorite poems):

The woods are lovely, dark and deep
But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep

 

Posted by onyxx at 1:51 pm | permalink

Previous Comments

Hay, I wish I can go away for a while. Kahit one week lang. I’ve been longing for the beach. Nothing gives me a sense of peace more than the sight of a silent sea on a lovely morning. A close second would be fields of green.

And, i don’t know why, but Frost makes me weepy all the time. Kahit di malungkot talaga yung theme ng poem, kahit minsan i may not have the correct interpretation, Robert Frost’s poems strike a chord in me i couldn’t quite place.

Posted by zarine at February 12, 2007, 2:30 pm

same here. for some reason his poems remind me of this cold, desolate place where things aren’t always what they seem…

Posted by onyxx at February 12, 2007, 2:46 pm

i did stop and took a whiff of roses yesterday…i’m scared shit that the thorns will come soon…

Posted by Cheska at February 13, 2007, 12:09 pm

heheh… cheska, careful with those thorns. or better yet, pick a flower that’s easier on your nerves. good luck!

Posted by onyxx at February 13, 2007, 3:20 pm

Mine is at the comforts of my own sheet waiting for someone to get out of the shower and give me a good massage… hahahaha! :-)
Seriously, I’m always at the beach alone or with my friends. I find solace laying out…

Posted by alvin at February 13, 2007, 4:16 pm

i feel hyper when i go to the beach :) , which probbably explains why i usually head for colder settings when i want to wind down

Posted by onyxx at February 13, 2007, 5:18 pm

my comfort zone: my bed.. the kitchen.. nearest beach :)

Posted by chelsea at February 13, 2007, 11:44 pm

Nothing relaxes me more than an afternoon at the Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary. For insta-relaxation, an hour of dipping my feet (just the feet) in the pool is good enough.

Posted by ThePseudoshrink at February 14, 2007, 2:13 pm

PseudoShrink, is this the same place that trish went to?
chelsea, are you the hearth-and-home type? :)
umm… i just noticed that, for some reason, we all seem to gravitate towards the water (i prefer the lake though) to feel relaxed. i wonder if that implies something…

Posted by onyxx at February 14, 2007, 2:57 pm

     

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