A Christmas Day Pause

This reflection came to me as I sat with the Christmas Day lesson from my online retreat with Abbey of the Arts

Worship is completed
Blue Christmas is behind me
Fourth Sunday of Advent is behind me
Christmas Eve is behind me
Family activities with many people
I seek some quiet and solitude 
Time to recharge and simply be still 
What is here right now is exhaustion
What is here is a mixture of mourning and loss
Thinking of our Mothers who are no longer here
What is present is their spirits in memories
Talking with my Dad and my Son on the phone
Lots of noise and activity here 
Yet that is not all that is here
What is here is an opportunity to be still
An opportunity to spend time with Howard Thurman 
An opportunity to spend time with Thomas Merton 
An opportunity to be still
Even in the midst of exhaustion and sorrow
An opportunity to be still
An opportunity to give thanks for the blessings of life
An opportunity to see the light shining in the darkness
An opportunity to be still

I took this picture from our deck this morning during a time of retreat and pause in the midst of all the activity. An opportunity to be still.