Solitude

Dear Solitude,

My how I love you sometimes.  Scratch that - I need you sometimes!

Like tonight last Thursday.*  Bible study girls had left.  I got the kitchen all cleaned.  Packed a lunch for tomorrow. Lit almost all the candles in the house and sat down on the couch and took a deep. breath.

The first deep breath I've been able to take all week, it seems.

I'm realizing that my weeks have been especially "top-heavy": busy at the beginning; not-so-busy towards the end.  This week was no exception: Tuesday and Wednesday were unexpectedly crazy at work, and things have been extra stressful and emotional as of late due to some major changes.  I'd like to say more and articulate my true feelings on all of these "changes," but let's be real: this here blog is on the internets - aka: the place where no information is private and doesn't ever really get destroyed for real, aka: the place where confidentiality goes to die. 


Anyway, back to you: solitude.

Thank you.  What a lovely evening.  The introvert in me has been replenished.  All of me has been revived, actually. There's something about you combined with the beautiful flicker of candlelight that is soothing to my soul.  Add that with some Phyllis Tickle and I have me a recipe for simply being.  Still.  Aware.  Peaceful.  Able to hear and remember God's work and presence in ways that I can't when there is too much noise around.

Feeling very full and grateful.

Here's to making more room for you more often.

~Julie

*I began writing this last week, but then got distracted ... so here it is a few days later.