quiet time

As a part of our daily rhythm, every day after lunch Naiya has "quiet time".  It's a break as short as fifteen minutes or as long as an hour that we spend each gathering ourselves up apart from one another.  Most often, Naiya determines the length herself.  We instituted this break in our day when we realized (quite early on) that naps were never going to return to our home.  At first I think we hoped that she would use this time to, say, rest... even if there would be no actual sleep taking place.  Of course, that never happened.  Although I occasionally use the opportunity to get some rest myself, Naiya always spends her alone time playing, playing, playing.

Over the years, the aftermath of her playing in a room by herself has become more and more complex.  At first there would be a few dolls, perhaps some clothes and dishes set up for a tea party or various piles of random stones and pine cones set about to represent people or houses or roads.   Recently, however, the scenes are quite a bit more elaborate. 

It may look like chaos or a pile of junk but each item on the trunk was placed there very intentionally by delicate hands and a heart full of wonder.  The animals are wearing clothes of hairbands and are safe within their clothespin or silk houses.  Naiya tells me lunch has been served but the mail has yet to be delivered.