Take Some Time To Just Be

I was once reading some selections from the writings of Thomas Merton.  One entry described a walk in the woods and a moment of contemplation that he experienced.  Contemplation is part of the human experience that is overlooked by many as they rush through life.  We all need to have moments in our lives where we can breathe and sit in the wonder of life.  This is not complicated or so esoteric that it is beyond the average person.  We all have the ability to be contemplative.  It can be as simple as taking a few minutes to gaze at a full moon.  To be contemplative the only basic requirements are to be awake and aware.  Many of us think winter is never going to end but for those who are aware spring is in the air.  When I walk outside every morning I always notice the weather and I gaze at the stars in the sky.  When my life is not too hectic or demanding I try to just be.  Part of being contemplative is having a sense of wonder.  It is also having a sense of gratitude for all that is good.  It is the quiet moments of life that give us what we need to deal with all the other moments that may test us or make us crazy.  Although many of us do not have the luxury of going on an extended retreat, or even having a weekend to ourselves, we all have moments in our day when we can take a few minutes for the pause that refreshes.  I encourage all of you to be on lookout for such moments and to take advantage of them.  If you do I believe you will begin to experience a sense of calm in your life that you may not have now.  Let me share a Christian prayer that may help you to find some contemplative calm in your life.