Silence + Solitude + Story = Sanctuary.

My three favourite things are silence, solitude, and story. Put the three together, and they create my favourite kind of sanctuary.

Silence and solitude are mandatory for story to make its way from the ethers through my pen to the page. No noisy coffeeshop table for me. At least not for writing. 

I also prefer silence and solitude when reading the stories of others. A cup of tea and a crackling fire (or flower-bedecked backyard) add to the delicious experience offered up by the book in my hand. 

And then there is the unparalleled joy of reading stories aloud to others. I have read countless books to my family, in all kinds of settings, the best of which is while driving long distances in a vehicle. At first glance, one could argue that silence and solitude fly out the window on those read-aloud occasions, but I disagree. There is a profound silence that fills a space when all ears are tuned to an unfolding saga. I've seen the same quality of silence that settles over our vacation-bound car or comfy armchair take hold in huge auditoriums. No matter how many people fill a space, the words spin their magic and each person is alone with the image those words bring to life inside their own imaginations. 

Alone together.

That is one of the things I hope, in time, to offer here in this space - audios of me reading aloud to you, offering the sanctuary of story into your silence and solitude. I'm working on that. In the meantime, I can offer some beautiful books to curl up with in your own cozy space, whether by yourself or alone together with the people you love.