Learning to Be Still . . . Lessons Learned from RV Fulltime Living
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Learning to Be Still . . . Lessons from RV Fulltime Living at the River
“You and I can turn and look at the silent river and wait.
We know the current is there, hidden;
and there are comings and goings from miles away that hold the stillness exactly before us.
What the river says, that is what I say.” – William Stafford
Does your “to-do” list ever end?
For me, as soon as one task is checked off, two more replace it.
Some days, my endless list seems like a heavy cloud hovering right over my head, reminding me of all I have to get done.
An endless list of tasks and chores and duties that never get completely finished, or if by some miracle they do . . . there’s plenty more to take its place.
I’m betting you know what this feels like?
It is total overwhelm.
How are you supposed to cope with the frantic scurrying around, trying to do so many things?
Well, for us . . . when the stress and chaos of the world starts attacking . . . when we are at the point of not being able to clearly think or do . . .
we just go the river and sit . . . and watch . . . and listen . . . and learn . . . and heal.
Learning to Be Still is one of the most valuable lessons learned from RV Fulltime Living at the river.
It is magical.
It is beautiful.
It transforms you to a peace that cannot be explained. As you watch the river flow, all struggles and stresses fall away.
If the timing of your visit is at sunset, you are bathed in the intense colors as the sky says “Amen” to another day.
The Amen to another perfect day on the river
As you listen to the sounds of the water, the birds, the breeze, the train, your mind relaxes and releases problems and frustrations that held a tight grip on you. It is healing, no doubt about it.
Whenever I sit by the river, I am taken back to the summer of 2009. That is when Bruce and I sold nearly all our “stuff” and moved into a tent where we lived for four months. (You can read the complete story in our free ebook ”We Did It – You Can Too.”)
I remember the carefree feeling I had that summer . . . coming home every night after work to our tent – kicking off my heels and plopping down in the lawn chair – and doing absolutely NOTHING.
Didn’t flip through TV channels to find entertainment – we had the glorious sunsets and the darting hummingbirds and the flowing river to fill our senses.
Didn’t have to spend hours cleaning house – the tent was 11 x 14 and a 5 minute run- through was all it took to keep everything in order.
Didn’t have grass to mow or windows to wash or a house to maintain – we gave that up for the simple lifestyle.
That summer by the river taught me the immense value of being still.
I learned to slow down and embrace being fully present in what is happening now – not what happened yesterday or what needs to happen tomorrow – but what is right before my eyes.
Would you believe we spent one evening mesmerized by a spider building its web?
Many nights Bruce would wake me up at 2 or 3 am and tell me I should get up to see the stars. It always took my breath away – the sky exploded with hundreds, thousands, millions of stars!
Our favorite lullaby became the coyotes yelping songs and the owls hoo-hoo-hooos.
This is my special place – the place of stillness where I return when life gets unbalanced and I need to be healed and strengthened and assured and restored.
The river continually draws me to come and sit silently – as if a strong current is pulling me there.
I encourage you – go find your place. It’s out there.
When you become still, when you are silent and allow your senses to expand to a great awareness, you’ll claim your spot.
Then the lessons will begin, a great journey of discovery and awareness