Quiet

Quietness. Such a multifaceted thing. Too much quiet can drive a person insane.  Too little quiet can, well, drive a person insane. God has been showing me the value of just being quiet. Back in Israel, God began to show me that even when what I have to say is of worth and value, sometimes it is best to be silent. In James it says that if we could learn to control our tongues we would be perfect. Perfect? Wow. I guess I will be working on that one for the rest of my life. Now God is presenting quietness to me in a whole new way. He is teaching me how to enjoy it, and showing me how much I need it. I know this will be a valuable lesson now that I am going to be living right outside the city that never sleeps, never stops, and knows nothing of silence.  Towards the end of my volunteer time in New York, I realized I was yearning for time alone, but it seemed I never could attain it. Had I actually put forth the effort, then yes, I could have had quiet, but when you are surrounded by people who want to be with you and you want to be with them...well you just forget about that need for time alone. I am a social person, so it is hard for me to say "No, I will skip the movie" or whatever it might be. It is funny because I kept thinking "When I get home I can have quiet!", but so far I think it has been louder?! And I do not think it is going to get any better. My idealistic quiet South has eluded me in the face of reality. The point being that quietness is not in one place or in one situation or in one time. It is something that will absolutely evade you unless chased with earnest. It is something that begs to be found.