Last week during my College’s spring break, I went on a men’s retreat. It was as much as anything, a period of solace and quiet. While the group did have discussions and prayers, much of my time was spent in silence either reading, walking, praying or meditating. The middle of the week in particular was a time of quiet reflection.
There were people I could talk to, and at times did with good depth, but at other moments simply enjoyed silence. It’s a tough thing to be silent for some of us, and those of you who know me well understand how much I do spend in communication. As a friend recently told me, I love to teach and explain, that I can’t help but do that when I communicate. Yet, at the same time, I enjoy being alone in my thoughts.
As I sat and contemplated, at times merely enjoying the changing seasons around me–we had snow, mist, clearing sun, bright sun, rain, heavy fog, more snow, bitter cold, then more sun–I was reminded of another retreat of silence that I took in New Mexico about a decade ago. I had had the chance to speak at a conference for 3 years in a row in the early part of last decade, and the conference location was near a Franciscan monastery. I was allowed to come sit in silence for a retreat the following year. Sitting in a small cabin alone for 24 hours, with stretches of walking, is a powerful experience.
As I said, last week was our school’s spring break. I doubt many of my students did, but my hope is that they rested. I hope they found some time to sit in silence. I hope they enjoyed some down time. We need it in our country, in this time.
This week you should look for an hour or so to simply be. Perhaps you can take your lunch somewhere in a park, alone, or maybe go for a walk. Just be present. Don’t feel like you have to think about anything specific. Just be there and let the joy of rest and silence surround you.