Did you already have your quiet? 4


A quiet moment.  Did you already have your quiet moment, month, year or decade?

Did you recognize the peace, the calm, and incident-free period when it occurred?

Did you feel it – fully?

Did you congratulate yourself that your efforts were keeping everything in check?  Did you think, “That’s just the way things are for me?”  Were you aware enough to savor the quiet, the peace and the lack of crap?

Was there a time when there were no upheavals in your life?  No friends moving, jobs ending, relationships imploding, or children misbehaving?

Were there times when nothing changed in your vista – none of your favorite stores closed, familiar houses or buildings demolished?

Do you remember the time when you could do all that was asked of you, all that you wanted to do without blinking, thinking or pausing to consider  that you were capable and things would work out?

Did you ever feel completely safe – nothing bad happening to your water, your food or in your ‘hood?

Was there a moment, a month, a year or a decade when there were no deaths or serious illnesses of people close to you?

The poets and lyricists record:

Do you remember the time, when we fell in love? Do you remember the time, when we first met, girl? (Michael Jackson)

“Mama, Mama. Tell us about when you was a girl. Tell us one of them stories about the olden day.” From children’s book, The Times They Used to Be by Lucille Clifton

If I could touch the past just once again, the strange things inside me would be settled. (Candelaria Silva)

“Turn! Turn! Turn: To Everything There is A Season  (Words adapted from the Book of Ecclesiastes by Pete Seeger, music by Pete Seeger, performed by Mr. Seeger and later, The Byrds)

To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn


And a time for every purpose under heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven

A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together

To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven

A time of war, a time of peace
A time of love, a time of hate
A time you may embrace
A time to refrain from embracing

To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven

A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time to love, a time to hate
A time of peace, I swear it’s not too late!

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If this is your quiet, savor it and bask in it; store it so that you can recall it in times of pain, change and uncertainty.

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About Candelaria Silva

Candelaria Silva-Collins is a marketing, community outreach and programming consultant; writer; and trainer/facilitator who lives in Boston, Massachusetts. She has designed and facilitated workshops on a wide variety of topics including communication, facilitation, job search skills, team building, and parenting issues. She currently coordinates the Community Membership Program of the Huntington Theatre Company. Her work as Director of ACT Roxbury was profiled in several publications, including The Creative Communities Builders Handbook. Candelaria’s children’s stories, short stories, essays and reviews have been published in local and national publications and she is an active blogger. Her publications include the booklets, Handling Rejection; Pushing through Shyness: Networking Tips when You’re Shy, Slow to Warm Up or Just don’t Feel you Belong; and Real Questions about Sex & Relationships for Teens: A Discussion Guide for Parents. She has served on the boards of Goddard College, Wheelock Family Theatre, Boston Foundation for Architecture, and Discover Roxbury. She is currently Chair, Designators of the Henderson Foundation.

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4 thoughts on “Did you already have your quiet?

  • Carolyn

    “Did you recognize the peace, the calm, and incident-free period when it occurred?” Yes, I do, however, it has been a process getting to that point.
    I first became aware of Peace and Calm began during a trying time in my life and to a “friend” close enough to know what was actually going on in my life, my Peace and Calm were incredibly infuriating and was clearly a symptom of my “delusion.” However, I clung to that Peace and Calm and persevered through that storm and every other challenge that comes along. Solutions are birthed in Peace and Calm, therefore, I fiercely and fearlessly protect these precious states regardless of circumstances and outcomes.

    • Candelaria Silva Post author

      Good for you. There have been times in my life when I only recognized the calm after I looked back on it during tumultuous times and wished I had savored it more. You are right, solutions are birthed in peace and calm. You are wise. Be well.

  • Lisa Johnson

    I’m very grateful for the times in my life when things were overall pretty easy and calm. There has been a lot of change and chaos over the past few years, but I do still find my quiet and calm. Even if for just a few minutes.

    • Candelaria Silva Post author

      It is good that you are able to find your quiet and calm. I do, too. The point I was trying to make is that there are years in our lives when things are pretty quiet and sometimes even a bit boring or unremarkable. While things can happen to upend our lives at any moment, a lot of us when we’re younger have years of calm times if we’re lucky. Thanks for commenting.