Five minutes of writing, without stopping, without thinking, without editing. That’s the assignment. And this week it’s all about quiet.

I had it all planned out. Really early in the morning I sneaked out of the back door, to take a picture of the bicycle that was left in the garden, thrown against the door of the shed, like an echo of previous resounding quick footsteps and high pitched children’s voices. I was going to talk about how I love the quiet of the morning, when everything and everyone still has to get going, even the birds sound a little sleepy and the morning mist muffles all other sounds.

But right now it’s half past one. From the moment I entered our house again there was this little boy who wanted attention, games were played, laundry was done, people came in for coffee and stories, a little girl (who, being totally tough and cool, wanted to go to school again this morning, but turned out to not yet be able to make it the whole day after all) had to be picked up and I was surrounded by everything but quiet.

I have the impression it has been years and years since I had some quiet around me. The sounds that started at the moment we began our family has been only growing since then. But strangely enough, the more they fill everything surrounding me with their loud noises, their being, their laughter and their talking, the more I find a previously never known real quietness in myself. A silent peace. Pure happiness.

More stories, written in just five minutes, pure from the heart, you can find here.

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