Every day at 3 PM?
Winter wonderland & the daily pause inspired by the author Zsuzsa Bánk
Today I’m inviting you to step into the magic of a winter wonderland with me. Picture this: a tranquil evening stroll through the gently falling snow on a Saturday before the first day of Advent, where the world is draped in a serene hush, and the ground glitters like an expansive canvas of lost crystals, snow crystals, millions of them. A magical night. In this enchanting setting, the door of the neighbouring churn stands wide open, emitting a warm glow and the inviting strains of organ music that lure me irresistibly inside…
I left 45 min later with the concept of 3 PM not leaving my mind, inspired by a short story and music, no priest who converted me or something (I am not even baptised).
So what is this 3 PM concept all about?
Amid the swirling chaos or mundane routines of our daily lives exists a humble yet profound moment that often slips through the cracks of our awareness - the present moment we shall call 3:00 PM in this piece. It could be any time of the day, of course. A seemingly ordinary hour, unnoticed amidst the business of the everyday, hidden in the folds of our routine. I do pause regularly, but more at random times during the day. How about you?
What do you do at 3 pm - every day unravelled its significance and initiated a journey of introspection for me this weekend.
As I meandered through my day today, waking up, taking the soup out of the slow cooker, walking through the snowy winter wonderland (record snowfall see pictures below that I couldn’t keep to myself) to the local Advent Basar, the question echoed in my mind: What do I do at 3:00 PM every day and will I be able to notice it today or only later in the day realise I missed it?
This question is such a great reminder to peel back the layers of the mundane and unearth the significance of stillness.
I know of mindfulness practices where you set an alarm for a specific time of the or stick little notes around your flat that serve as a reminder to pause, breathe and reset. But this here is different. No signs, no alarms.
It was during the Advent organ concert where in the ambient glow of candlelight and between musical pieces by grand classical musicians, short stories were read. I love short stories. Do you? One of them was called in German “What do you do at 3 PM every day” by Zsusa Bank (German-Hungarian author), centring on the notion of pausing at 3:00 PM. I never go to churn for the real service. However, there's a soft spot in my heart for chorals, and I find myself captivated by the organ's powerful sound, its vibrations shaking every part of my body. In case you wondered, yes I was by far one of the younger ones there, and I didn’t mind.
As the words unfolded during the reading, I felt a gentle stirring within - a call to return to this mindfulness practice that I know so well from the past but have not appreciated for a long time. A call to pause at any specific time you choose, be it 3:00 PM or another to step back into the now.
In this season leading up to Christmas, Hanukkah, Yaldā Night or Yule, a time marked by bustling festivity preparations, recipe collection marathons and present hunting, the call to slow down becomes more poignant. And this simple yet powerful practice invites us to turn inward. The contrast between the external clamour and the internal hush invites us to appreciate the subtleties of life. Like a symphony building to a crescendo, the quiet moments lay the foundation for the grandeur that follows around the holidays in celebration of the light.
So what do I do at 3 PM?
It is often a time I spend in meetings and not seldom rush through some last-minute admin for the following day. I love the notion of 3 PM as a concept because the day has long begun but is also not yet quite over. This Advent, I aspire to pay attention to my 3 PMs without judgment on days where I’ll forget or simply be absorbed by something else. It’ll be my reminder to slow down in whatever capacity and way I can accommodate.
If you’re up for it, shall we embark collective journey of pausing, reflecting, and savouring the richness that lies within the quiet spaces of our lives as well as the depth of the darkness, the winter externally and within. Let’s sit in this liminal space for a bit longer before the grand holidays, festivals of light and year-end celebrations.
Over to you
What do you do at 3:00 PM every day? I invite you to share your intentions for this Advent season.
Last but not least, sending you some Winterwonderland highlights. YES, I am in love with the weather these days and can’t keep these photos to myself.
Never before since weather records began has so much snow fallen in Munich on a single day in December. The previous record of 43 centimetres apparently dates back to 1938.
In case you long for some more winter reading:
I loved reading the below by
and this weekend.
Under the dark winter sky... alone & with AI
Winter has arrived here in the Alpine region, arriving after a short and delayed golden autumn. The cold now bites, sharply around 0 degrees Celsius (ca. 32 degrees Fahrenheit for our friends in the US). Walks under the dark winter sky have become almost a daily ritual since dusk falls by 4 pm. Sometimes I can see the stars and the moon beautifully refl…
Take care, slow down and nourish yourself.
Speak soon
This is such a beautiful idea - and I have not heard of it before. It is funny because naturally I find 3pm a real 'in between' time mainly because it is the time (roughly) that the baby wakes from her nap and the lunch time 'pause' has occurred, and we are ready for our next round of the day. I always feel like a little chocolate at this time (has to be at least 85% dark) and it does seem to be a milestone time in the daily life. I will think of it a little more consciously from now on Carmen, thank you.
The snow looks utterly magical, I know it isn't always convenient but it does bring to life the world in a different way. I really hope we get some decent snowfall here in the UK this year. My 4 year old loves it.
Thank you so much for sharing my piece - I am so grateful to you, and to the support you give me here. xxx
Beautiful wintery photographs ✨
And love the concept of considering what we do within a particular window of time. 3pm is often where I experience a dip, so it’s either a nap with the littlest or a hot chocolate to keep me going. I think I’d benefit far more from moving ⚡️