I'll bet some of you are thinking "hooray - it's Friday!" And it is a 3 day weekend, so for some it's even more exciting, a few days off to play or just enjoy some down time. When I used to work outside of the home being in solitude wasn't what I thought about on a Friday. I usually had plans, maybe getting together with friends - or a night out. My weekends now are often filled with visits from 2 very busy granddaughters or doing chores around the house, errands and stuff! Solitude isn't nearly as plentiful as I would like.
People that know me often see that I love to lead classes, speak to groups and facilitate discussions. I like to get people talking then sit back and observe. Yesterday I wrote about dormer windows and little cozy spaces that I seek. So as much as I love leading and talking I thrive on solitude. The stepping back during lent to reflect and ponder things is actually quite welcome in my life. I realize, however, that solitude is not pleasant for many people. To get quiet and be alone with your own thoughts can just be too overwhelming or without the busy-ness of life the worries and troubles get larger. When staying busy it is easier to push things down and not deal with them.
When I started the journey to simplify life last May solitude was part of it, but not enough. So much time has been spent purging 'things' that I haven't made enough time for the solitude. The very thing I am wanting to eliminate has actually been causing me to lack the simplicity I desire. Multiple boxes of clothes and collections have been removed from our home, yet so much still remains. In the quest to continue toward simplicity one of the 'less is more' blogs that I follow started a busyness boycott the first of the year. I have actually been allowing myself to be so busy that I haven't been following the blog, a vicious circle. I've kept myself too busy to boycott being busy!
So even though my weekend will be full, with laughter and time spent with women that I love, solitude is on my mind. The stepping back to think about the journey toward the Cross that is stretching ahead of us. I'm wondering what it is that God will dig out of me, what sin or dark blot needs to be brought to the light and scrubbed clean. Spending time in solitude to really think about that is key for me. How are you approaching this season? Are you willing to set aside time to be alone, to be quiet and listen to God and to your own thoughts? I challenge you today to at least think about being alone. I can tell you that I'm going to spend some time on this dock today - to listen to wind in the tall pines, to let the splash of the fountain remind me of refreshment from God. I will simply be - alone.
Simplicity and regularity are the best guides in finding our way. They allow us to make the discipline of solitude as much a part of our daily lives as eating and sleeping. When that happens, our noisy worries will slowly lose their power over us and the renewing activity of God's Spirit will slowly make its presence known. Although the discipline of solitude asks us to set aside time and space, what finally matters is our hearts become like quiet cells where God can dwell, wherever we go and whatever we do. - Making All Things New by Henri J.M. Nouwen
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