Stillness

One of my favorite verses of the Bible is from Psalm 46, “Be still and know that I am God”. I have always been drawn to it. I think there is something really beautiful and deeply assuring about that sentence and about stillness and quiet. I love it, yet I have also always struggled with it. I have a very hard time sitting still. I am a go-er, a do-er. I thrive in movement.

Returning to campus has made me realize how much I missed walking this summer. I really enjoy walking to class because it gives me the chance to slow down and to reflect on my day. I have the time to notice the flowers and the sky and the countless other beautiful sights of my commute. So much of my attention here is focused on the future – What I have to do that day. What assignments are coming up? What am I doing with my life? But when I walk down Comm. Ave, my focus is on the present. I notice the rhythm of rain on my umbrella. The reflection of the sun off the Pru. I admire the canopy of trees on Bay State road. With every step, I breathe in the beauty of this world, the wonders of this moment. And I recognize God all around me. What those walks have shown me, more than anything else, is that “stillness” is a spiritual posture. Despite the inherent motion of walking, those moments are a time for me to be fully present. And as I tune in to the present moment, I find my heart and my mind becoming still. In that moment, I’m at peace. As I reach my destination my cup is full, I am refreshed, and ready to keep moving.

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