BE STILL

I have noticed that the best way for me to get a few minutes of
solitude at the end of the day is to start washing the dishes. And a
few minutes of solitude is something I need frequently. A time to be
alone. A time to reflect.

There is a difference between aloneness and loneliness. Aloneness is
necessary for the soul to thrive -- even to come alive!

German theologian and pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer was arrested and
eventually hanged for opposing Hitler. While in prison, he wrote
letters to his fianc+e. The last letter she received was dated
Christmas 1944. Speaking of the war that separated them, Bonhoeffer
wrote this:

"These will be quiet days in our homes, but I have had the experience
over and over again that the quieter it is around me, the clearer do I
feel a connection to you. It is as though in solitude the soul
develops senses which we hardly know in everyday life. Therefore I
have not felt lonely or abandoned for one moment."

We can be alone without being lonely. In fact, those times of solitude
are necessary respite for our beleaguered souls, set upon by the
pressures of life. We need to take those moments to "get away" and
just be still. "Only in quiet waters things mirror themselves
undistorted," says Hans Margolius. "Only in a quiet mind is adequate
perception of the world."

Be still.a

Steve Goodier Publisher@... is a professional
speaker, consultant and author of numerous books. Visit his site for
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and Laughter at http://LifeSupportSystem.com.