Serenity

 

Serenity is calm, calmness, hush, peace, peacefulness, placidity, quiet, quietness, quietude, repose, restfulness, sereneness, still, stillness or tranquility. In this ‘fear-of-missing-out-stay-connected-did-you-see-what-about-what-is-your-comment…’ world we believe finding serenity is impossible.

That is until you croak. That is why everyone says, “Rest In Peace”. What else can you do after you stop breathing except be serene.

Serenity is all around you but you are too busy and in a hurry to notice. That chair over there, yes the one with the crochet comforter made by your grandmother strewn over the back artistically, is very serene. It just sits there gathering cat fur and hiding the dust bunnies. Even when you sit into the chair it will not become uneasy or even panicked for it was constructed to look serene (and hopefully well built enough to hold your butt). The kitchen (or dining room, whatever your preference) table is serene, but it is a flat surface and all the stuff scattered all over it creates the chaos. Do you ever wonder what all the furniture talks about when the lights go out?

Walk outside then stop. Don’t move. What is going on? Other than the jackhammer noise or the wild party next door, this is serenity. The trees are serene. The bushes are serene. The grass is serene. Even your kid’s bike that didn’t get put away is serene until you trip over it. We are the ones making the racket.

I make an effort (success depending on the weather) to get out on my front porch (at least once a day) and sit in my wicker rocker and just become serene. No screens, ear buds, email, music, phone, rambling tweets or bad tictok videos. Shhhh! Quiet.

There is the occasional delivery truck or dog walkers, baby pushers, joggers or just the elderly couple getting some exercise but they are all busy talking into their hands and don’t notice me and my serenity.

Serenity is also a title given to a reigning prince or similar dignitary. It’s true. Look it up.

Back in the day, when I was employed by another to be stressed 24/7; I never seemed to find time to just relax. No vacations or holidays. Double shifts. Working at home.

After being retired, the first thing I noticed I didn’t have to be at a certain spot at a certain time or the anxiety to check messages demanding response. My blood pressure went down, I had time to enjoy a meal and I got more sleep.

Serenity is what you seek when you take a vacation, but the first thing you do when you check in the bedroom someone else slept in that morning is to turn on the big screen. Then check the phone for a good spot to go eat. There is nothing more soothing and appetizing than get into an over lit room with a bunch of loud tourist under the hum of clinking glasses and sports on the multiple television screens to chow down on some over fried, over salted, over cooked small portions on heated plates at prices that required a bank loan. Pick up some trinkets from the multitude of street vendors before you head for the beach to be baked into a night of sunburn pain. Check your phone and laptop for work emails to keep informed to see if you were dismissed while you were gone. Or attend the local entertainment recreation to wait in line, eat sugar and waste you time walking around (call it exercise). Then drive home trying to find the cheapest gas and arrive tired with a mailbox full of bills.

‘Serenity’ is also a movie with ‘snappy dialogue and goofy characters make this Wild Wild West soap opera in space fun and adventurous’. Review by Rotten Tomatoes. Don’t forget the extra large popcorn and sugar pop in a dark room with sticky floors.

One thing that can ruin serenity is change. Each generation likes things the way they are until their children get old enough to change things around. Then their children change stuff again and each generation will look back at how good things used to be.

Remember your first car? It was a wreck but all you could afford. You’d spend nights and weekends trying to keep the thing rolling but now look back on it as if it was the finest ride in town.

Remember the first shopping mall? Could drive to the expansive blacktop to wander a string of stores selling everything from cheap plastic ware to the last American made clothing. The hardware store only had one hammer but the old guy working there could find just the right nail for your project. The guy who repaired your bike also owned the store. The cashier at the grocery store recognized you by name and the bag boy rolled your basket to your car with no extra charge. There was even a nickel pony ride out front.

Then people lost time from the adventure called ‘shopping’ and created box stores that was tooted as ‘one-stop shopping’ with vested ‘Welcomers’ and great material for viral YouTube videos of unhappy customers caught in the act of larceny and becoming a Karen in the elastic clothing section. Have it delivered unless the pirates get it.

As we come more senile our remembrances are more important than ever. There was one Superman. There didn’t have to be more because he was the Superman. No one questioned how he changed his clothes in a phone booth or a simple hop sent him into space or how did he breath in space. He was Superman. Did he ever catch cold or pick his nose? Did Wonder Woman have periods? Was Batman and Robin a couple? Was Batman a pedophile? Did our comic fantasies cover up the disturbing habits these aliens picked up from us humans? Don’t over-think it.

While I appreciate my serenity session I can’t find anyone to share that time with. Even inviting someone to enjoy the peace and quiet, there is an interruption or a distraction or a deadline. No one seems to be able to quietly take a walk for miles and finding a baby crow. There is no need to speak or take selfies. It is a moment to share between the two.

The same could be said about porch time. To sit quietly watching the trees dance in the breeze or the appreciate the artistic dappled shadows slowly painting across the grasses or listening to the music of natures songs without an applause but enjoyed without knowing the lyrics.

Some might call it meditation. Some might call it laziness. If there was something I needed to do like fill out the tax forms or wash the dishes or make up the bed or take a shower or some other chore, but they will all wait till tomorrow. If there was a book to read or a podcast to listen to or some wild movie I would not get bored with, but I’ve found none today.

Today is too cold and it is snowing so I’ll I bypass my serenity time outside. I’ll still take time to watch the flakes fall. For today there is food available, heat and water, electricity and my own entertainment.

Tomorrow never knows, so take serenity time today.

PEACE!