The magic of Candlelight Chats - and our next one is coming up!
"In these Candlelight Chats, something always hits me so deeply that I feel it practically in every bone in my body."
“I don’t easily express my feelings, nor do I even know what they are 99.9% of the time, but in these Candlelight Chats, something always hits me so deeply that I feel it practically in every bone in my body, and that makes it easier for me to express my feelings.” - a Quiet Life member.
I always feel a little nervous about hosting these Candlelight Chats, because by nature the role of “host” is not my forte.
And yet. And yet. These Chats are one of the most meaningful things we do at The Quiet Life (TQL).
And so I appreciated the above feedback from a TQL member; and so I look forward to hosting our next one.
This next Chat will be on Sunday, July 26, from 1-2 pm Eastern time, on Zoom, and it will be “Just Us” - i.e., no guest speakers. It will be a chance for us to talk to each other, and listen, and be together as we think - write - experience quietly. As always, there will be no pressure for you to come onscreen and speak, though you’ll be welcome to, if you’d like. You can also participate via commenting in the chat box, or simply by watching and listening.
Log-in info will be distributed to Quiet Life members the day before the Chat. If you haven’t yet subscribed, you can do that here:
One thing we’ll talk about for sure is the Wendell Berry poem, “The Peace of Wild Things,” which I find myself continually recommending to individual TQL members - so much so that I think we should discuss it (and find solace and inspiration in it) together, as well.
Here’s the poem, which you can start contemplating now:
The Peace of Wild Things, by Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
As always, I’d love to hear from you:
*How do you feel generally about our Candlelight Chats? Who has been your favorite Candlelight Chat guest (or topic) so far?
*Do you have a dream guest you’d like me to interview in future?
*Do you prefer “Just Us” Chats?
*Is there a question or topic that you’d like to discuss at the upcoming “Just Us” Chat?
All of us at The Quiet Life are so honored, and thrilled, that you’re here.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I would love to have a guest talk about being a Highly Sensitive Person. As always, thank you for all that you offer here, Susan.
To my fellows
I don’t think this poem is telling us that life is easy or that our pain doesn’t matter. I think it’s saying that when our minds become full of fear, we don’t always need more answers. Sometimes we just need somewhere peaceful to rest.
When Wendell Berry says he goes where the wood drake rests and the heron feeds, I don’t think he’s running away from life. I think he’s reminding himself that the world is still turning, even when his own mind feels overwhelmed.
The line that speaks to me most is, “I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.” How much of our suffering comes from living tomorrow’s pain today? We imagine conversations that haven’t happened, losses that haven’t come, and problems we can’t solve yet. We carry burdens that don’t belong to today.
The birds don’t spend their day worrying about next week. The stars don’t rush. The water doesn’t fight to be still. There is something deeply comforting in that.
Maybe the lesson isn’t to ignore our problems. Maybe it’s to stop letting fear become louder than hope.
If you’re struggling today, don’t try to carry your whole life at once. Go outside. Sit somewhere quiet. Watch the trees move in the wind. Listen to the birds. Let yourself remember that there is still beauty in the world, even if your mind is finding it hard to see.
Your circumstances may not change overnight, but your heart can find a little rest. Sometimes that’s enough to keep going until tomorrow.
For a time, rest in the grace of the world… and be free.