Making time for silence - by Magdalena Scott

One morning last week I woke up early, fixed my daily mug of French Press coffee, and sat in the windowseat gazing east. I'm in town and don't have a clear view of sunrise, but as I sat there silently, I was able to watch a new day begin, as the sky grew more and more light.

And the birds were singing! Because my apartment faces a super busy street, it's easy to forget there are birds living in the few trees. The only ways to be reminded of that are to park under one of the trees (if you get my meaning), or to get up early enough that the daily traffic noise hasn't begun. By 7:00 a.m. or so, you can forget hearing birdsong.

I have a habit of turning on my radio first thing in the morning. My air conditioner and heater are both noisy. So most days any sounds of nature are lost to me until I go out to walk.

I'm so impressed by people who work long hours plus commutes, have major family and civic obligations, and still make time (I don't think "finding" time works) for silence. 

I recently visited with one such woman, who said sometimes she just sits in a lawn chair and does nothing. She intentionally sets time aside to let her mind relax a bit. Weather permitting, she's outdoors listening to the birds, watching the rabbits, letting nature heal her soul and spirit. I have no doubt that's one reason she gets so much accomplished and has such a good outlook. 

There are always plenty of things calling us to go here, do this. Busy-ness seems to be a badge of honor in our society. But constant going, doing, texting, emailing, working...doesn't give our bodies, minds and spirits time to rejuvenate.

I hope to get better at making time for silence. Is this something you find easy, or challenging? Do you have tips for the rest of us, on how to set quiet time aside on a regular basis? If so, please share in the comments.

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Magdalena Scott is a USA Today Bestselling Author. Her new series is Serendipity, Indiana: small town sweet romance and women's fiction. Click here to visit Magdalena's website, sign up for her newsletter, and read about her two series.

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A Beachy Anniversary by Grace Greene

This is my anniversary month. Not an engagement or wedding anniversary, or the day I met my husband, etc., but rather July is the anniversary of the publication of my debut novel, Beach Rental. Four years ago, after many years of writing and hoping, my first novel was published. Beach Rental was the first of the Emerald Isle, NC stories series and in celebration of the anniversary—and in celebration of summer, summer vacations and beach trips—I want to share some of my beach photos from past trips to Emerald Isle. Even if you’re stuck at home this summer (as I am) there’s more than one way to enjoy the beach!

First, to find Emerald Isle on the map, go to the Outer Banks and travel south. When you get to Cape Hatteras, bear southwest across Ocracoke Island and down to Cape Lookout, then turn right and skip lightly over Shackleford Banks to the Bogue Banks on the Crystal Coast. Emerald Isle is on the island of Bogue Banks which runs east-west. I’m mostly a beach walker (as opposed to a sunbather or swimmer) so this suits me very well. I walk to the sunrise in the morning and the sunset in the evening.

Some mornings are misty, some are cloudy, but all are beautiful with a special mystery in the pre-dawn hours. I’m not usually an early riser if I have the choice, but as the sea birds skim the water hunting for breakfast and the sun begins to lighten the sky, I want to be out there with them.

These pictures are from my sunrise walks, but beach sunsets are extra special for color and drama, and for how they usher in the night. The nighttime ocean is dark with light captured only in the foaming waves. You are surrounded by dark in the eternal roar of tides moving in and out, while overhead a net of brilliant, countless stars blink on to rule the night.

In the sunny hours between dawn and dusk, you can appreciate the wide pristine beaches that stretch the length of Bogue Banks. These beaches are perfect for families. On the other side of the island is Bogue Sound with its own special character, but for me, it’s the ocean I love—its rhythm, its eternity. Regardless of what’s happening in the rest of the world, the ocean does its own thing. It does what it does without anger or censure or approval. It is inspiring and it is also deadly. I know that’s true because when I was thirteen I almost drowned—not at Emerald Isle, but at another beach. I used some of my memories of that event in Beach Rental.

It doesn’t look like I’ll make it to the beach this summer due to family responsibilities, but one of the joys of photos, and the written word too, is their ability to call to mind memories, including how it feels to have the warm sand beneath my bare feet and the cool leading fringe of waves tickling my toes, or, in particular, the memories of loved ones and sunny days of fun.