Sitting still

"Teach us to care and not to care
Teach us to sit still
Even among these rocks,
Our peace in His will
And even among these rocks
Sister, mother
And spirit of the river, spirit of the sea,
Suffer me not to be separated

And let my cry come unto Thee"



from Ash-Wednesday by T.S. Eliot

Can or should?

"Just because you can, does not mean that you should".

I read this today in 'Edge', the monthly magazine for the Institute of Leadership and Management. The quotation refers to good bosses being able to delegate but it got me thinking...

How many things in a day (or a week or a month...) do I do because I can, when in fact I would do better to delegate them to someone else?

How many things in a day (or a week or a month...) do I do because I can, when in fact I would do better to schedule them to a more appropriate time?

How many things in a day (or a week or a month...) do I do because I can, when in fact it would not matter if they were not done at all?

How many things in a day (or a week or a month...) do I do because I can and because I don't trust others to do them in the same way as I would?

How many things in a day (or a week or a month...) do I do because I can, without realising that they are detrimental to my (mental) health?

How many things in a day (or a week or a month...) do I do because I can - and because I should?

Shallows and Depths

Today I have been re-reading part of 'Tides and Seasons' by David Adam, a book of modern prayers in the Celtic tradition.

David Adam writes about Luke Chapter 5. Jesus is surrounded by huge crowds of people who are listening to his teaching. Jesus, needing a little space, gets into Simon's boat and asks him to put out a little from the shore. Then Jesus teaches the people from the boat. Later, he asks Simon to thrust out into deep water. While they are in deep water, the disciples cast out their nets at Jesus' command and their catch of fish is so great that they have to call in other fishermen to help them.

David Adam explains the need for us to create a little space in our lives: to put out a little from shore. This is the first step and without it we cannot take the next step, which is to 'thrust out into the deep'. He says, "Let us learn to move from the superficial to the deep. Life is not meant to be a perpetual game of trivial pursuits, it is far more glorious than that... Promise that each day you will set apart a little time to discover the depths of things, that you will thrust out a little from the land."

Moving a boat off the beach and into the shallow waters takes effort; rowing a boat from the shallows into deep waters takes effort. So, creating the space in which to be still and listen to God takes effort and discipline. Being out in deep water changes our perspective; we see the things on land as part of a 'bigger picture': our focus is taken away from the detail and becomes broader.

And it is in the depths that we can cast our nets and catch the unexpected. We will never know what the benefits are unless we try....

Priorities

Today our church group considered Daniel Chapter 1. Daniel was carried off into captivity and trained to become part of the king's court. Interestingly, he chose to participate fully in this education but drew the line at eating the rich food provided by the king.

He could have objected to many of the aspects of life in the king's court but chose to make a stand about the Jewish food laws.

So often, it seems, there are many 'priorities' claiming our attention and although they, in themselves, are all healthy and good, our energy is drained trying to fulfil them all.

Daniel's example of choosing one thing to concentrate on and to stick to that principle - no matter what - is an important one.

So, my priority for the coming days is to give myself space and time to be quiet - time for restoration.

The First Shower

Having decided to record my journey to discover tranquility, it seems incongruous to write a babble of words about it.
However, perhaps pouring out my frustration and struggle along the way may in fact help me to find that 'still point in a turning world'.

Possibly, like the professor that Henri Nouwen refers to, who, after spending a lifetime complaining about the interruptions to his work discovered that the interruptions were his work, I shall find that, in the struggle to find peace, there is tranquility.

In a world that seems to flow faster and faster, it is a skill and art to create time to reflect and be still. I intend to use this blog to create those tiny, still reflective moments within the rushing eddies of the rest of my life!