A Time and Place for Silence: Greving and Ortiz on Time and Solitude

With another year having passed—perhaps even sped by—and a new one underfoot, HeightsCast returns with a discussion of time and solitude with Mike Ortiz and Rob Greving. Together, Mike and Rob invite us to slow down as they unpack their two recently published articles on the Forum.

Mr. Ortiz dives into Henry David Thoreau’s cabin life and the importance of intentional times of solitude in our lives, while Mr. Greving considers our often uneasy relationship with time and the good of slowing down, even as the world speeds up.

As we look forward to the new year with hope and anticipation, let us not forget to slow down and, in Mr. Greving’s words, listen for the present moment. After all, you can’t read a poem in a hurry. And if you are always in a hurry, you might miss the poetry of life.

Chapters

1:45 Background to the articles
5:43 Thoreau’s way of solitude: the path to a greater appreciation of the world
10:15 Never less alone than when alone
13:30 Time alone and listening for God
15:55 Silence and the capacity to attend
20:55 Having more that is worth less
22:55 Handling time gently
30:08 Times of leisure in the life of a school
32:30 Beyond life hacks: cultivating a disposition
40:56 Poetry, solitude, and time
45:13 You can’t read a poem in a hurry
48:02 Slowing down in family life
53:00 The importance of not over-scheduling kids
57:15 Conclusion and a closing poem