The meaning behind Urban Stillness

I think, maybe, we can all agree that there are certain things, phrases or images that always speak to us (individually). I don't know what your beautiful triggers are, but mine are: the outdoors, stillness and adventure. These things make me feel WHOLE.

• the outdoors: at one point I would have probably said "the mountains" instead of just "the outdoors". Through time, this has changed - for the better, in my eyes - and I truly try to take in the beauty of nature every single day. There are lots of things about living in a cold winter climate that are challenging, but I think, with the right mindset (and gear), there are so many amazing things about outside all year long. One of my favourite things about winter brings me to my next bullet...
• stillness: have you ever been out on a cold, crisp, glistening morning? This is one of my favourite moments of stillness. The air feels still. Sounds are muffled by the deep freeze. Light is transformed into speckles of glistening diamonds on the snow or hoar frost. Each breath tastes like icicles are building in my lungs, making me feel alive! It smells like what I would want every "clean" smell to be. But this is not the only place I find stillness.. because these types days don't happen everyday (and I'm not always out at this time)... Stillness is at the end of every breath, before the next breath is taken. It is when all my senses are focused, completely, while I watch our son play so joyfully and pure. It's when my husband holds me a little longer when the day has SUCKED, to help me slow down. It's snuggling our dog at the end of the day, petting him, feeling his head (or entire 95lb body) melt into me. Some days are harder to find this stillness, but if I slow down, step back for a moment, and breath, it's always there.
• adventure: this gets my blood flowing! A good adventure to me is like a soul filling experience. It can be a short adventure, say, to the dog park, out for a bike ride, or walk. Or it can be a bigger adventure, packing up our 1985 Volkswagen Westfalia - the della - and going camping (with or without a plan!). I could speak about adventure a lot more, but maybe we will get there on a different day!

Urban Stillness... what is it? Well, as I explained above, I love the outdoors. I love being so immersed in Mother Nature that I feel the perspective of my "problems" aren't really problems in this larger world. In contrast, the city make me feel chaotic, like I need to be a certain way, that I need to follow the same path that everyone else is on. So, these words were combined to remind me to find stillness even in the Urban chaos that I live in. I use it to remind me that there is beauty in nature right outside my door, in the amazing ravine that we have in Edmonton, and that I don't have to travel (to the mountains) all the time to immerse myself in it. I have used this to remind me that there are always options to find the outdoors, adventure and stillness everywhere around me. By working, specifically, with wood to make jewelry, I create visual reminders, that anyone can wear, to remind us that we are here amidst this world full of natural beauty, and that we are steps away from experiencing that beauty by just being outside. 

I hope you are able to touch base with the things that make you feel most whole with today. 

Peace and Gratitude,

Erin