on embracing “rests:”
In music, the rests between notes contribute to the overall structure and flow of the melody. Perhaps, moments of stillness can add depth and texture to your vibrant, active life. The very thing that may seem as though it mutes the melody could actually be setting the stage for what’s to come. This can be a valuable thing to remember if you find yourself in a state of restlessness. For without rests, how can the music breathe?
When you’re yearning for something energizing, explore how quieter moments might actually be setting the stage for future crescendos. Try to make room for a spectrum of experiences – from loud, vibrant sections to soft, gentle melodies. Let these different dynamics inform and enrich each other, creating a fullness––like different instruments that have unique purposes, all playing together in harmony.
Embrace the quiet interludes wherever you find them, they are more critical to the music than we may realize. When you start to feel that restlessness, think of rest not as an empty measure where you must be silent, but as the space between two songs, a necessary transition. That small space could literally be only one beat, and yet, it exists as a meaningful pause between musical phrases.
What music shows us is that it is possible to embrace movement while also valuing stillness. Life moves through various tempos and volumes. May you create room to discover and rediscover the beauty in this range of experiences, again and again, through all the rhythms, tones, and cadences of life. Let yourself, “not do anything” for a moment, or even several moments, however you can…for this, too is a part of the music.
