HIDINGis a way of staying alive. Hiding is a way of holding ourselves until we are ready to come into the light. Even hiding the truth from ourselves can be a way to come to what we need in our own necessary time. Hiding is one of the brilliant and virtuoso practices of almost every part of the natural world: the protective quiet of an icy northern landscape, the held bud of a future summer rose, the snow bound internal pulse of the hibernating bear. Hiding is underestimated…HIDING
From CONSOLATIONS:
The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words.
2015 © David Whyte: There are days when I just want to hide. I don’t want to talk, share, text, like, tweet, or blog. I don’t want to engage with anything other than what is going on inside of me. It may be in my head. A new book brewing, a character showing herself to me. Or it may be in my heart. A memory, a loss, or a brute affront. Or it may be undefined without a location. On these days, I just want to crawl inside me. I don’t necessarily retreat under the blankets, although I may if I choose. Often, I hide in nature where the trees and the ocean seem to understand. The wind whistling through the pines, the pounding of waves on the sand as relentless as breathing. These are the only sounds tolerable when I am hiding. I am not being hostile when I am hiding. I am healing. I am fortifying. I am retreating. I am energizing. Think refueling. I am not hiding from anyone or anything. It’s nothing personal to others. It’s personal only to me. Is hiding a “writer’s thing”? I think it’s probably a human response or instinct, although writers may be more inclined to indulge in it. When I give myself permission for some limited isolation, I’m just being nice to me. And I’m also being kind to the people whose lives I share because I am a much better Michele after I’ve given myself permission to hide. How about you? Do you give yourself permission to periodically hide? Share in comments or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/missdemeanorsbooks/ If you’ve never read the brilliant work of poet and writer David Whyte, you have a wonderful gift waiting for you.