Beside Restful Waters

“Gregory! Sit still!”

-Mrs. Hendrickson

Mrs. Hendrickson was my fifth grade teacher. I often wondered which of us was more exasperated, her because she had to constantly tell me to sit down and pay attention, or me because this directive was an order I heard over and over and over throughout my elementary school days. Little did I know of the wisdom she spoke.

Scriptures from all faith practices remind, encourage, and order us to be still. Those of us on this journey of sobriety have heard this in many shapes and forms.

Do you get tired of hearing this?

Do you get tired of trying to be still?

Do you get tired of listening to your persistently busy mind?

I will answer yes to each of these questions. Yet, I continued to be blessed by the persistence of my practice. I cannot brag about having a consistently silent mind, because that rarely happens with me. However, I can share with you that the practice of trying to quiet my mind pays off. The practice pays off in a growing number of little whispers, dim visions and simple awareness of things I had not noticed before.

Early this summer, my wife asked, “Is it just me, or are the birds singing more beautifully this summer?”

She expressed the result of the practice of attempting stillness. She spoke of an increased awareness of the little beauties as the presence of our God.

So I offer you to share in the practice of stillness. With patience, you will begin to observe that the subtle presence of God permeates your being. This is what continues to offer the hope of sustained sobriety available when we commit to the simple practices of stillness. This is what makes the waters of life more restful. This is how we notice the grace in each other.

Namaste’