Day Nine - A Distinct Lack (Also Known As Needing Some Advent Slow)

It has been nearly a month since my last post.

The fact that it has been that long should give you an idea of how those days have been - draining; full; intensive; not so much noisy but close to sensory overload.

I have reached the second week in advent kind of punch drunk; dazed; needing some space.

I have noticed again how visually and auditorily noisy our world is. Perhaps I notice it more in these shorter and darker days as shop windows try to entice us in to spend money in the lead up to Christmas, but also as more and more houses bejewel themselves with Christmas lights in these early days of Advent waiting. I have noticed again how that affects me.

As a response, or perhaps an antidote to that, I am praying. I don't regularly say Prayer During the Day as Common Worship calls it, but a few times in recent days I have retreated to the safety and security of that liturgy and I have allowed the silence between the words to envelop me.

Advent invites to intentionally slow down and to notice the signs of God coming among us. Prayer heightens my awareness of God as I place myself in His presence. Prayer enables me to realise He is already here - wherever I am, His children are.

Advent invites me into a warm embrace of silence and contemplation.

As I explore silence more purposefully, at the moment, silence for me is not about placing myself into a place or time where there is a lack of noise necessarily (although that is important.) Sometimes, I need to be silent.

When I am silent I notice. When I notice I see the world differently. When I see differently often my heart responds. When my heart responds, I am thankful.

In short - silence leads to praise.

I walked the dog this afternoon on my own. A rare treat. For weeks now I have walked with my wife - a treat to spend quality time together. Today it was just me. I walked slightly further than we might normally.

I barely spoke.

I noticed birdsong.

I prayed the Jesus Prayer.

The green lichen on a tree stump was GREEN

The red berries amongst some small branches were RED

I am grateful that I also have a quiet day booked on Tuesday. I will spend it on the banks of a lake in a chair under a blanket with a book and a notebook. In silence.