It was a beautiful day with one of the bluest skies I can remember. Accompanied by a refreshing breeze with the sweet smell of honeysuckle. As I finally found a suitable place to rest and soak up nature at its finest, I found myself disappointed. There I was sitting in the beauty of God's creation and I hated it. After five minutes I was ready to huff it the rest of the way up the mountain.
Meditation... that's what I needed, but as I sat there looking up at the sky I couldn't clear my mind. It was filled with what next week held for me, the people both in and out of my life, the struggles my friends had, and not to mention struggles of my own. And that's when it happened...
As if God Himself was sitting next to me. This is the conversation as I remember it:
God: "Cant you sit still for a little while?"
Me: "Of course I can, that's what I am doing right now."
God: "I can see that, but it doesn't seem as though you are enjoying it very much. After all, isn't that why you came out here"
Me: "Well yeah, I'm just having a hard time clearing my mind."
God: "I understand, but you are forgetting something that I've been trying to teach you."
Me: "Oh yeah, and what is that?"
God: "You already know the answer to that, and if you sit here long enough you will remember."
And just like that His tangible presence was gone, like a passing breeze that I could never catch even it I tried. So I did what any obedient natured person would do, I stayed there determined to find the answer despite being in the same state I began. Same ole' sky above, same ole' trees swaying in the wind, and the same ole' thoughts flooded my mind. Whatever it was I was supposed to remember must have been tucked away deep in the closet of my mind. I wondered if I found it would it be like finding 20 bucks in last years winter coat pocket or if I would say "Hey, I've been looking for that!"
Finally a squirrel came to my rescue to distract me from my ball of yarn mental blockkedness (I made that word up) As I watched, I began to envy the simple life that little critter had. Before I knew it I was lost in observation of everything around me. Things that had been there the entire time. Even though I had seemingly been doing nothing, however, I was too busy to notice.
I don't know how long I was actually in the woods, but I noticed the sun begin to fade and I knew it would soon be time for me to take my leave. However, in opposition to how I felt in the beginning, I didn't want to go. It was so peaceful....
And there it was, the lesson I was supposed to remember. Something so simple yet entirely complex...."Be Still and Know That I Am God."
Two roads diverged in the middle of a wood,
and I-
I took the road less traveled by.
And that has made all the difference
-Robert Frost
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