During the past weekend, when the sun was shining bright in a beautiful blue sky and my village being overrun by people who preferred to sniff the fresh sea air, keeping at last 2 metres social distance, I sat on my little patio surrounded by Pansies in the most beautiful colours.
My feet high up on my rocking couch, cat and book on my lap, a hot chocolate within reach, I decided to do nothing. And not only that, also to think Nothing.
And I mean literally Nothing, with a capital N.
When I tried to stop my brain completely, I discovered there is not something like Nothing when it comes to the brains. At least, my brains. Thinking of Nothing is already something.
So what does Nothing mean? According to the Cambridge Dictionary there are numerous explanations and synonyms but nothing that indicates emptiness. In my context "Easiness and Simplicity" comes closest.
Do we realise how often we use the word Nothing?
"What are you doing?" Actually....nothing.
Not true. Just sitting is not doing nothing, for example, you have chosen a chair to sit comfortably, telling your muscles to behave comfortably. So you do something.
"Where are you thinking about?" To be honest, nothing....
Where at the same time you might think 'please stop asking me these questions, I want peace...'
"Do we have any money left?" No, nothing but there are still some pennies left in your purse.
"How was your day out? What did you do?" Fine but I did nothing.
In the meantime you drove and walked, ate and drank, looked and listened.
Etcetera, etcetera, you can think of some examples yourself.
Back to the brains. Whilst I was thinking of Nothing, I was actually thinking of numerous things: being happy with my little house and patio, being extremely happy feeling the sun on my face, the wind (although still cold) through my hair, the cat on my lap and the dogs nearby, the sound of the chicken, their free eggs, the smell of the flowers, the sound of the sea....
I forced my brains not to dwell off these Nothing subjects, just to concentrate on now and here, not on tomorrow or next week where Nothing is out of the question.
No, just now, this very moment, only this afternoon.
At the same time a few people entered my brains and I allowed them to do so. Precious people who were welcome to share Nothing with me. I hoped they were at ease as much as I was, whether they were doing Something or Nothing.
In my thoughts I had a conversation with them, offered them my peaceful moment in this strange Corona time where Nothing all of a sudden seems very well possible.....: do I see stripes from the plains in the sky? No, nothing. Do I see or smell pollution? No, nothing.
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| Photo: Ike Roelfsema Photography |
Are the beaches chock a block? No, nothing like it.
Are people fighting over shopping carts in overcrowded supermarkets on Sunday? No, nothing.....
Then I hoped that we are right now learning to find a balance between Nothing and Everything.
A lot less of Everything and a little more than Nothing. The latter because nothing Nothing does not exists. But there are so many positive Nothings. Free of charge Nothings which often turn out to be the very best Nothings ever. The most enjoyable and achieving Nothings. A good synonym for these Nothings could very well be Happiness. Or Contentedness.
This is most likely my shortest Blog Post ever, for the simple reason it is about Nothing.
I leave the realization of Nothing to you and hope it will benefit your spirit.
Lots of love,
Helen XXX
