In the middle of this famously frenetic space, I find myself feeling oddly serene.
— David Michaelis
My aunt was fond of saying — I particularly remember her saying it during the family-filled times of Christmas — "It looks like Grand Central Station in here!" She was referring to the hustle and bustle that are the result of the comings and goings of many people in a given place, in this case, our overfull living room.
Grand Central Station in New York has become an American icon of a crowded and busy place, with many people coming and going. Hardly a place for recollection, quietude, or serenity. And yet. . . .
Serenity is available anywhere you seek it.
The author quoted above is a contemporary writer who was researching the recent renovations of the famed rail terminal and it was there, in the middle of that "frenetic public space," that he did feel "oddly serene." Perhaps he added "oddly" because the serenity was so unexpected.
As you find yourself in busy, public places that bustle with activity, let the contrast between what is going on and what you seek, between frenzy and peace, be your guide to serenity. Be still, while all about you swirl the comings and goings of the world.
What are your bustling places? Maybe a transportation terminal, sports stadium, or shopping mall? Or maybe your family room or your kitchen? Wherever they are, let the frenzy call you to the inner serenity that is accessible in any moment.
— David Kundtz in Quiet Mind