Abbey of Gethsemani
8-26-26
For the first time, I sat in the "silent" dining room tonight
The main one is free from talking
but there's soft music playing in the background
This one really is silent
(apart from the clinking of silverware)
I didn't mind the silent part so much --
the difficulty was in no windows
with flitting hummingbirds to observe!
I willed myself not to multi-task
by reading while eating
and it was so hard
to just sit there
and eat
I looked around
I enjoyed my food
I glanced at the other 3 in the room
I thought of more poems to write
I let the quietness seep into my pores...
Did I get any major revelation?
No, but I don't have to
I can learn to be content in the silence
even if You're silent, too
8-26-26
Silence itself
is not my teacher
You are my Teacher,
and You often speak in silence
When I create silence,
by stopping what I'm doing
stopping what I'm saying
stopping what I'm thinking
there's space in the quiet
for You to speak
You can speak to me
anytime
anywhere
through any medium
It's up to me
to listen
which sometimes can look like a silent retreat
but more often,
it's noticing
paying attention
communing with the Spirit within
You are always speaking
Am I aware?
Open the ears (and eyes!) of my heart, Lord
8-27-26
Silence is not my teacher
The forest is not my teacher
The hummingbird is not my teacher
The darkness is not my teacher
The sunset is not my teacher
The rock is not my teacher
The daybreak is not my teacher
The world is not my teacher
The inchworm is not my teacher
My dinner is not my teacher
My neighbor is not my teacher
The moon is not my teacher
The mama deer is not my teacher
The traffic light is not my teacher
The melody is not my teacher
YOU are my teacher!
Yet You can use all things and people
living and nonliving
to teach me
if I'm a willing, attentive student.
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