Be still and know …

 

Over the holidays, a dear friend, Stu Leach said, “You know how time seems to fly by when we are older but as kids, it seems like it stood still?”

I acknowledged that it is true. Stu continued.

“It’s because when you are five years old, a year is twenty percent of your life, but at sixty, it’s only around one and a half percent. With each passing year, the year becomes a smaller percent of the total and so each year seems to pass more quickly. It’s as if our time continues to pick up momentum all through our life.”

I’ve been pondering the wisdom of Stu, and as with many of my columns, they are inspired often by unrelated items that collide together in my head that make me say aloud, “hmmmm …”

The collision of passing time and the difficulty of quieting my mind …

The Zac Brown Band recorded a song several years ago entitled “Quiet Your Mind.” One day out of the blue, my sister, Kim, sent me a text message that read, “Zac Brown. Quiet Your Mind. Google it. Listen to it now!” It wasn’t in the form of a mild request, so I did so immediately, and I have listened to it hundreds of times since. Like Stu’s casual observation, this song is full of profound wisdom. Look it up and give it a listen. I don’t know why Kim felt I needed that song at that moment, but she knew. I think sometimes, the connection of siblings defies distance and time. Coincidence or ‘God’incidence?

Yes, time passes quickly. I believe one of the reasons, is that we live in a world bombarded by news, entertainment and the urging from others to act now. Most people I know relax in front of the television or engage in some activity that takes their mind off life’s chores. Activities will change our focus, but they certainly do not quiet the mind. Let me ask you …

When do you completely shut down?

I’ve learned throughout my writing career that I must take time to shut down and allow my mind and heart to sort things out. If I’m always talking, thinking and doing … when do I allow my creativity to work? I’m a man who believes in the power of prayer. I pray, but often, do not quiet my mind to listen to God’s answers.  I regret not having enough quiet time in my earlier life.

 

 “It’s strange. How I’m taken and guided … Where I end up right where I’m needed to be”

Zach Brown Band – Quiet Your Mind

 

Take time to listen.

It’s impossible to hear our inner voice if we are always talking, watching something or listening to external noise. More importantly … it is difficult to hear the voice of God. We look for answers outside of us when wisdom is often inside trying to be heard. The noise and distractions of life are strong, but we must take time to resist. Will you do yourself a favor?

Be still ...

Take fifteen minutes a day, sit alone in the stillness of the moment. Try not to think. Quiet your mind. Be still and what you feel in your heart and hear in your mind may surprise you. Sometimes, I can hear the beating of my heart. As I sit, focused on the rhythm of my life, I hear the tempo of my heart slow and feel my body relax. It’s in those moments that creativity flourishes, and for me, wisdom comes. It’s usually shortly after I awake in the morning. My books and these columns are usually written between 4:30 AM and 9:00. Before the noise and distractions of the day kick in, I find it easiest to get in sync with my heart and mind. It is in those times I feel most in touch with my creator and at peace. I urge you to try. Shut it all down. Be still and listen. Be still and know …