I’m sitting at the Toyota dealership in Gulfport where the television is competing with music piped through the building. Around me I hear conversations from several people discussing a variety of things from the service on their car to their private, not so private, personal chitchat. I’m not paying attention to any of it, but occasionally one sound or another comes into focus.

 

My phone dings with a message, which I answer promptly since it is close at hand. Actually, I have answered three texts in the brief moments I have been here. I think it may be time to take a time out from all the noise.

 

If we were graced with warm weather I would sit in a chair outside the large wall of windows. Actually, I think I will. A big oops on that! When I snuggled into my coat to ward off the chill and started to retrieve my computer from its case the highway’s roar demanded my attention. What a noisy place!

 

It must be a perfect day to retreat into a quiet, lovely place and reflect there for a while. The thought comes to me that if adults need a place of solitude and rest children much more need such a place. When I worked with lower elementary children I always noticed that the kids who didn’t get proper rest at night struggled to stay alert and keep up with their work.

 

The struggle was often compounded when students failed to receive enough play and exercise time. I always hated to see what happened to the kids who were already behind the eight ball when recess rolled around. The students who didn’t finish their work were punished by missing recess and often had to stay inside to finish their work. Sometimes they would have to stand on the wall and watch the others play. Not only did this seem pretty mean to me, but also I thought a nice playtime would help the students relax and burn off a little pent up energy.

 

Like any adult, a child needs a good balance of rest and exercise, solitude and group activity. Balance these things with a healthy dose of praise and encouragement, and I believe you are giving your child a recipe for success.

 

Our pastor mentioned this week that when we tell children they can accomplish anything we are doing them a disservice because it’s not true. I have to agree with this statement. If it were true I would have the voice of a songbird instead of a frog.

 

In order to write, it is a requirement that I find a quiet place even if it’s in my head. I’m reminded of the old hymn “Near to the Heart of God” written by Cleland Boyd McAfee when he had been through a particularly challenging time. The lyrics there is a place of quiet rest near to the heart of God was truth for him, and in my opinion is more important than any other aspect of finding rest.