First off, hope you’re having a good day. I had to go to Baltimore for a meeting, and someone I work with asked me to pick up a bag of the country potatoes I wrote about yesterday. I had to go to two Trader Joe’s stores before I found them 🙁 As it turns out, they’re a new item. I hope you can find them easily.
When I was on my eight day silent retreat last year, my spiritual director told me that, generally, it’s taking people until the fifth day before they can relax and fully de-stress. Of course, he made this comment to me on my fifth day, if that tells you something. Why do we find ourselves so exhausted that we can hardly function? Is this the way its supposed to be?
According to Brother Victor, (author of Sacred Feasts Cookbook), he says no, it is absolutely not supposed to be this way. He writes,
In an age such as ours, full of feverish consumerism, instant communication, loud music and noisy tv, it is quite a challenge to being speaking about the reality of silence. Occasionally I am asked to give a talk to a group of people , either young students or adults. I often notice a visible expression of skepticism on their faces when I mention or stress the importance of silence in daily life. The value and appreciation of silence in today’s culture has dwindled… Today, belief in the truth of silence is not only disregarded and underestimated, it is considered plainly outmoded… Everyone needs to rediscover some silent, quiet space within himself or herself just to maintain basic sanity.
The simplicity of silence creates this inner space within us, and silence purifies our vision, cleanses our hearts, and strengthens and deepens our prayer…
The simplicity of silence brings light and clarity to our minds; it grants peace, tranquility, and perseverance as we toil daily. (taken from the Gift of Simplicity)
If you are feeling particularly stressed right now, maybe it’s time to take a little break. Go out and take a little walk around the block. Go to a park or some other place where you can enjoy nature. If you’re stuck where you are, close your eyes and dream about some peaceful place where you have had the chance to visit. No matter what you do, just remember that, as Brother Victor reminds us, we’re not supposed to go through life exhausted, unhappy, and depressed. I hope you can get the re-charge you need.
