A Growing Stillness

Henri Nouwen was a man of faith who once wrote this about the winter solstice (Advent):

"This time of year I feel a growing stillness in myself…"

I felt a strong connection to that phrase:  a growing stillness.  As an extravert who has to speak in order to know what she is thinking,  I can talk up a storm any time of the year!  A growing stillness would be a miracle for me. I thought,  suppose I tried to be and speak or teach or write out of that growing stillness!  Suppose I turned off the computer and the TV and the radio and my spinning brain and sat by the fire in quiet,  enjoying the growing stillness. I want to discover what kind of woman,  and what kind of teaching or writing or speaking would emerge from that joy!

• I would wait more (why am I talking . . . W-A-I-T ).  
• I would wake later and later,  sleeping 9 – 10 hours.
• I would engage with the water as I swim each morning without looking at the clock,  swimming till I was done!
• I would walk my cocker spaniel,  Sandy,  each morning (bundle up,  it is cold out there!).
• I would write my e-mails in Word and paste them into an email,  so I can read them before they go off!

Wake,  wait,  water,  walk,  write. Out of a growing stillness.  And you?