settle...

untitled, by jeana_sohn

settle:

1 : to place so as to stay
2 a : to establish in residence b : to furnish with inhabitants
3 a : to cause to pack down
4 : to make quiet or orderly
5 a : to fix or resolve conclusively b : to establish or secure permanently
6 : to arrange in a desired position
7: to come to rest

i seem to be having a very hard time with this lately. am i the only one? i don't really feel "settled" in any aspect of my life. i have always had trouble feeling a sense of place or purpose, but lately it seems so much stronger. perhaps, it is because i am hitting the one year anniversary of having moved. you would think after a year i would feel settled... but i think it has something much more to do with me than the place. i am always looking ahead to what may come next. what about you? are you one of those people who has found contentment where you are, at this time? do you think it is something inherent to your personality or life experiences? maybe some of us will never feel truly settled....


"patchwork" by contented sparrow



"gifted with flowers", by et lille oejeblik



"." by louveciennes



"it all ready is better" by sweet sweet life

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10 comments:

astulabee/nicole said...

I'm not settled ever and I think it is exhausting, wasteful and annoying!

Let's both learn to meditate!

big hugs to you!
nicole

Cary said...

you are so right nicole, it does feel that way. sometimes i think it is necessary on some level for creativity, but it also makes it hard to ever be truly satisfied... or even finish what you have started! i use to always think it was the circumstances i was in that made me feel unsettled, but as i am getting older i see it is really me.

meditation sounds like a good idea. whenever i attend a quaker meeting i feel that i have to "force" myself to be at peace! it always feels so good afterward though:)

xo

Melissa Crowe said...

You know, with me, the answer to this question changes moment to moment. Sometimes I feel incredibly blessed and joyful, certain I am living the right life. Twenty minutes later I'm pacing the house, wondering what I should do with myself. I think this might be the artistic personality--if we felt settled, why would we create?

kristin said...

i think my moments of not feeling settled have to do with this sense that i am not living my own life...i am living the life of my family. my boys are young and are still in need of so much attention...i also started a small business almost two years ago (definately taking ALOT of my attention)...and therefore "me" time is almost non-existant during the day. i find myself up way too late at night just to do some hand-stitching in the peace of my own company. and please know i LOVE being a mama...it's just finding that balance. don't know if that helps...i've been in the same house now for 14 years and still don't feel settled. anyway, i hope you find your peace...it could just be the artist in you searching for an outlet

kristin said...

p.s. i meant to comment that i love your photo selections :)

mamas collection said...

I believe the creative urges inside us keep us unsettled so as to move on to new challenges; the downside of artistic expression...The step we forget about is the contentment in knowing that we are prone to the very distraction that keeps us fresh and excited about our next project...Quite a mix, huh....?
Pray for contentment in whatever you're in...Key.

SImple and Serene Living said...

I think that is why Aunt Tricia has taken up meditation. The unsettled feeling seems to be inherent in us. I am able to keep it tamped down more, sometimes, than at others. Sometimes I think life is less stressful for more concrete thinkers, but then you wouldn't have that wonderful creative thinking ability.

katy said...

beautiful flickr finds... perfectly compliment your words!
and, yes, i believe it is a very common trait in artistic personalities... feeling settled is definitely the exception, the rare moment, in my life. and, then, there are those frequent moments when i feel so unsettled, it's as if i'm jumping out of my skin... an almost painful desire to jump into the next thing. unfortunately, i am usually unsure what it is i want to jump to, and everything ends up half finished.
i really think meditation would be beneficial!

Cary said...

wow- thank you all for sharing your own experiences! i guess i am not alone:) your thoughts so perfectly echo what i struggle with on a daily basis. at least we are in this together.

DEK said...

Being settled is not always desirable - Being settled may mean "settling" ... which is not a place you want to be. Taking time to quiet your mind and converse with yourself even for a few minutes a day will help - meditation, prayer, yoga, or a walk looking at the sky. Kids benefit from quiet time too - encourage them to have a quiet time and then DON't try to quickly do something - enjoy the time.