retreat but do not surrender

A couple of summers ago I spent a couple of weeks in Europe and a week of that was spent in Taize, a small village in France between Lyon and Paris. It is a place of spiritual retreat. The grounds are in the French countryside (the picture is taken from my little tent). The only structure in the day are meeting times and meal. There is a great deal of time to reflect, read, write, medidate, and pray. One can also go off in silence to walk and enjoy the beautiful nature that surrounds the retreat. There are about 3,000 people there at any given time on average, and yet there is plenty of time and space for quiet reflection. I miss it right now.

I find myself longing for quiet, for a place where I can be introspective and thoughtful without explanation. I wish I could step out of my busy life for a few days and just be still. I could certainly carve out time in my life for that kind of reflection, but what I learned that week is that it takes me a few days to really be able to tolerate the stillness that comes in such times of contemplation. I love it, but can't always take it.

I'll have a good half an hour on the ferry tomorrow morning and I hope I can just be quiet and enjoy the water and the sunrise. If I can sit still for even a few minutes of the 35 minute crossing I'll consider it a success.