It’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life. Sometimes I feel like I just blink and a week has gone by; I’ll run into a old friend and find out their child is already 1 yr old; or even now…I’m buying Christmas presents when I feel like Christmas has just passed.
It’s crazy to think about life: that I’m already 25 and so many things have changed in life over the past…even 7 years. I’ve graduated college and pursued a masters in Architecture, traveled to Washington for the Solar Decathlon, met so many friends, seen my David marry Minette, and even started a business based around my passion.
In the midst of the busyness lots of things have happened and lots of things have changed. Some good things come to mind and some not so good as well. I’ve changed, my relationships have changed, and when I sat there on the old wooden swing under that oak in Grand Coteau, for the first time in a VERY long time…I thought.
On Thursday afternoon of last week, I left for a 3 day silent retreat at the Retreat House of Grand Coteau. It’s a retreat that my mother has been attending for 27…yes, 27 years! This, was my 2nd. When I arrived on Thursday, I was exhausted. I’ve been working so much over the past few months and had just finished wrapping up as much work as possible before leaving for the retreat. I was exhausted, anxious (but that’s typical), and let’s just be honest: dreading a bit…the retreat.
No offense to God, but when life gets busy, there’s just no time for anything. And unfortunately, I haven’t been making time for prayer like I should. After supper on the first night the silence began. I made my way to my single private room, thinking how I was going to fill my time for the next three days. I just knew I would go crazy. The first night, I knitted. The next day I read, and knitted, and wrote. Then, I gathered acorns and acorn shells to make a project when I got home. And on the Saturday afternoon, I forced myself to stop.
I walked to the middle of a grassy field and sat on an old wooden swing. I was still. I watched the squirrels and felt the cool breeze… I let my mind rest. It was the first time in a very long time that I allowed myself to relax. My mind was unoccupied by work, by friends, relationships, or family. It was open and empty. And I just listened. For the first time in a long time, I was reminded that God was there…and I felt whole. For the remainder of the retreat I no longer filled my time with nonsense and things that didn’t matter. I remained in silence and so did my mind. I thought…and I listened to God.
I felt peaceful when I left.
I know a lot of times in life it’s easy to get lost in the busyness, to lose yourself in work or children or a relationship. But just try, please just do your best to take a few minutes to just be silent. Because in that time, you will feel peace, too.
I like the image of the acorns with the message!
“He says, “Be still, and know that I am God,” Psalm 46:10