Increase the Quiet
Increase the Quiet is the name of Diana Krall’s newest album. Diana is one of my favorite jazz musicians. She is a world class jazz pianist and singer and has numerous Grammy and Juno awards to her credit. And she is Canadian!
I was intrigued by the title of Diana’s latest album and so decided to reflect on what it would mean if more of us could “increase the quiet” in our lives.
I started by thinking about where I currently go when I want some quiet time. Usually I’m alone and more often than not I am outdoors.
I live in British Columbia on the wet, west coast. Those of us who live in this part of the world love to complain about the weather, especially about the rain, but we do not want to live anywhere else.
One of the things that I love most about the rain is that it amplifies the quiet. The world seems to slow down and become more thoughtful. In comparison when the sun shines the world is energized, noisy, and outwardly focused. Don’t get me wrong. I love the sunshine as much as I love the rain.
The other thing about living in B.C. is that there is an abundance of breathtaking places that are peaceful and quiet. Not only do we have some of the most beautiful wilderness in the world but it is easily accessible from anywhere in the province. So, even though I live in Metro Vancouver I can be hiking on the North Shore mountains within 30 minutes of where I live or paddle boarding in English Bay within the same time period of time.
What about those of you who live in a big city but don’t have ready access to nature in the same way that I do? You may be surprised at the number of quiet places available to you if you only know where to look.
Recently, I came across a unique website created by Charlotte, a freelance blogger and copywriter who is “on a mission to find unusual corners of London away from the crowds.”
Charlotte’s website is wonderful and she shares many peaceful places in London where people can go to “switch off”. These can be quiet coffee shops, museums, and gardens. Pretty much any place where one can go to “increase the quiet”.
If you live in a big city and are looking for inspiration you’ll find lots more ideas on Charlotte’s website—examples of peaceful places that can be found in big cities around the world.
But what about you? How can you “increase the quiet” in your life?
Cheers!