MY GREAT ESCAPE
“Where do I find peace during hectic days”?
It’s a good question, focused on one dimension (where), but which may involve more than this.
As I’ve never tried meditation, I cannot describe my experience of it. To be honest I have maybe a little bit too simplistic idea of it: crossed legs, closed eyes, silence and… let’s give way to the stream of consciousness. More than anything I feel it requires a lot of time, which we are lacking in our hectic everyday life. This is probably the thing that has prevented me from trying it.
But I do have my ways to find peace after a tough day: I need to reach my “safe place”, which could be mental or physically existing.
When the weather or — once again — time don’t allow me to go out, but the need to escape from everyday stress is strong and knocking, I turn on the music I like and let my mind go back to places I’ve been, where I’ve felt safe, far from worries, stress and melancholy. The only thought of them just gives me back the same idea of quiet and peace. I have at least two of these, both strongly linked to special moments in my life, special people and in both of them nature is relevant, but one in particular is my dearest. I try to recall some moments, some details of it: a glass of wine drunk on a terrace facing the gentle green hills, with cows mooing and the sound of pure nature accompanying my thoughts. Then one of my dearest friend coming, my music playing… everything seems to be gathering in order to heal my soul.
It’s almost impossible to tell why this place is so sacred to me, me too I find it hard to explain. I think it’s simply due to the fact that it was a time I’ve spent when each element was in the right place at the right time and that there were all the essential elements to build my happiness up. So not only it’s pleasant to recall it, but it’s such a strong memory, that each feeling it brings along with, still burns as if it was actual. It’s like living it again and again. Not only my mind, but also my body and my soul find peace and they can recharge, or at least stop for a moment and forget the grey fog that stress brings along with.
If a “mental” place can be so strong in evoking emotions and bringing us back to quietness, a real place can be even stronger. Sometimes I try to run away from the tough thoughts, wearing my trainers, putting the earphones with my music on and walking. Till I’ve released as much endorphins as I can and finally reached my “safe place”. It’s a small wood, where there’s nothing apart green leaves, trees, birds and some animals living there. I find a nice place, I take my seat on dry leaves and let my emotions flow, while my music is playing in my ears. Sometimes I turn my music off, so it’s me and the silence of nature, nothing else. Nevertheless, I feel as if I’ve hardly been more listened, cared and cuddled.
Anyway, each of these places gets richer through music as it is my faithful friend: if I need to vent my heavy heart I choose some sad songs and let it go. Or I play something happy and loud to find relief and a bit of levity. Music has always been my patient companion, something (or someone should I say?) able to “understand” me and to mirror my mood, allowing me to go through it and understand what’s going on and how to face it.
“Where do I find peace during hectic days, then”? In a place, mental or physical, far or near, where my mind can rest and enjoy a bit of tenderness and quiet, which I’ve longed for during the whole day. Where my thoughts are loose and able to run, not to harm me, but to give me the strength to go through what’s harassing me. I find peace in music, my silent friend. The one able to listen to me without judging or giving useless pieces of advice. I find peace amidst nature, listening to its sounds, indulging through the whistling of trees and settling myself among their leaves; walking through unknown path just to listen to the will of losing myself, while feeling light after a long time of troubles. I’m sure everyone knows such places or has some faithful friend as music is to me, but they only need to be discovered together with their thaumaturgical properties.
