News on TV is fear driven, panicky, and biased. I try not to allow myself to be swayed by the media. Sitting for any length with the media is neither good for my stress level or my soul. I like the facts, ma’am, then I will find a quiet place to ruminate on the facts. When you think about it, a news fact only takes a few seconds or minutes at most to relay. When the media reports for hours on end, we are receiving far more than facts. It is like an injection of fearful stress.
The weather channel. Online. They have cool reports of neat things that I wouldn’t ordinarily know. I can enjoy them and they do not affect me like the news media.
Like wonderful cloud formations. Or one of a kind underwater photos.
Last week they took me to monasteries around the world that literally hang off cliffs. And now I ask again….How far would you go….for silence and rumination? Would you hang onto a side of a cliff? Would that be far enough away?
Do we need to go to the ends of the earth to find that silence? Is it the only place that we can go to get far enough away from it all so we can hear ourselves think? Better yet.. so we can hear God speak to us? Hear Him help us understand all being heard in this really loud world? So He can help us sift the worthwhile from the worthless?
I don’t know about you, but I am easily scared. If I listen to the news media for any length of time, they accomplish their mission.
It would be worth my while to travel to any one of these sacred places. Not to mention, breathtakingly cool. But I still question…do I need to, to get what I need…which is peace, perspective, quiet, and answers.
In my experience? No.
God hears me everywhere. And God takes me where I am. AS I am. Thank goodness, cause there is always some business that He needs to address with me. I cannot hear Him unless I make myself available. Going somewhere quiet IS necessary for me. Not sure I have to go to the ends of the earth though. I can’t concentrate on anything when there is something else going on. Can you?
Going for a quiet walk works. Sitting in a Chapel works. Sitting in a room by my self works. Staring out a window works. Actually, sitting at stop lights work. I suppose it is just a matter of getting out of the world for a bit and stepping into His world is all that it takes. Tell me, Lord. Show me, Lord.
Have you ever noticed people who like silence and quiet have a calm, joyful quality about them? I admire that. It just occurred to me the reason may be that through their silent and quiet time, they are hearing God and receiving His graces to be calm, and grateful. Wow. I want that.
No matter our circumstances, we all can reach that same place with Him. Any one of us can find a quiet place. It is just a matter of choosing to do so or not.
God bless,
Karen
The Shieling 