#quietspaces

I shouldn’t wish to see the lake

That secret one you told me about

When we first met

With the pocketknife you found

And the initials in the wood

I shouldn’t wait for an invitation

Under the canopy of trees

Where you bravely pioneered

The hidden thicket

As a boy with your dog

I shouldn’t feel a rush when you give one

Accepting blindly, I press myself

Through the portal of greenery

Soft light, cool air, and quiet

Just like you told me

I shouldn’t feel joy when your face lights up

Boy inside you awake and alive

When you show that secret refuge

Guarded close to your chest

To someone new

I shouldn’t kneel and look inside the pool

Mirrored and mystic as it is

It will reflect my duplicity

Or maybe I should—

Then this would all be over.

A quiet pavilion beneath towering cliffs and falling water. This artwork mixes traditional Chinese shanshui composition with a soft modern Japandi palette — designed more like an atmosphere than a “scene.”

The library is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear a mention of a quiet space.

Shelves upon shelves of books shrouded in silence and a whiff of musky aroma of aged paper and the myriad mysteries imparted to the pages. There are great libraries, from tiny nooks to vast halls with ceilings that seem to be reaching for the stars and a plethora of rows, levels, spiral staircases, and all sort of antique to modern furnishings.

For Jem, however, a quiet space meant something that, for all its intended purposes, had nothing to do with quiet, silence, or anything whatsover devoid of noise. It was a mere set of steps, cracked and weathered, jutting out from the back of an old factory building converted into office space. Inside, it was an endless maze of cubicles, plain white, gray, mundane "cages" that held the employees for their allocated daily 9 - 5 workday. No more no less. Clock in, lose your mind, zombiefying away in monotony, clock out. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.

It was a rut, except for the brief period of reprieve that came daily at 12:00 on the dot. Lunch. Jem's favorite time, for she would exit out the back door, perch upon the steps with a yellow legal pad and a pen, and simply write, losing track of reality.

Blocking out all the noise. This was her quiet space.

It wasn't really quiet. A road in the vicinity always generated traffic, with supply trucks pulling into the back of a supermarket across the street. Employees, from both sides, often emerged to take breaks or unload the trucks. Hip-hop blaring out of car windows, trash collectors trundling along, and, on one occasion, a week-long job of a drilling crew repairing something one block down were part of the everyday soundtrack of Jem's lunches.

A cacophony of sound and, yet, she found a silence within it all. The silence of writing.

Perhaps, it would be a novel. For now, it was a short story. She wrote and let the words flow, bearing her away into the fantastical realms her pen constructed. The rut, the monotony, the mundaneness of reality faded away and she was free. In the moment, she was free.

Often I grow weary, Often I am calm, It’s often that I long for you, And often that you’re gone.

Often isn’t oft enough, So often do I ponder How often is your mind at ease, How often does it wander?

Do you often think of me As I oft think of you? Held aloft, your bright light softens And dulls the darker hues.

I often wish that you were near, And not some other place, I often sense you so far off And fear the empty space.

Often I am saddened And humbled by the dawn. It’s often that I dream you’re here, And often that I’m wrong.

Moonlight over a quiet Jiangnan river village. Soft lantern reflections, drifting mist, and deep blue-gray water creating a calm evening atmosphere.

Creating a space where you can unwind — especially as an introvert — is more than just decorating. This post on home decor for introverts shares thoughtful ideas for soft lighting, cozy nooks, nature-inspired touches and quiet corners that help your living space feel calm and personal. Whether you’re rethinking your room layout or looking for simple ways to make your home a retreat, these practical tips make it easier to build a peaceful, intentional environment at your own pace.