Up on the mountain top, there's a pristine calm and peace. The sky is stretching on forever in all directions. Pretty much all that I can hear are birds singing, insects buzzing, and the gentle afternoon breeze in the trees.
Every so often, a jet goes by thousands of feet above; a mechanical interruption of the otherwise-natural serenity. Instinctually, I’m extremely annoyed by this unwelcome interruption. But in my quest to let all things me by teacher, I pause and decide to calm down. As I do, I'm reminded of the real world - away from this mountain top - where we all live; where there's noise and clamor, busyness and greed, violence and disharmony.
The contrast between the peace and quiet of the mountaintop and the perpetual noise and busyness of the real world are reminding me of how much life is an art of balance.
The mountaintop feels quiet and safe now, in the afternoon; but should I remain here after the sun sets, it might not be. It would be extremely risky to try to make my way down mountain trails in darkness, let alone the nocturnal wildlife I might encounter!
And while the world below this mountaintop can be a grind, it's also where the people and places that I care about - which bring my life meaning and fulfillment - reside.
And while the world below this mountaintop can be a grind, it's also where the people and places that I care about - which bring my life meaning and fulfillment - reside.
We need experiences of both solitude and fulfilling usefulness to the world in order to be well and whole. We need contemplative times of quiet and solitude so that we can cease striving for awhile.
The time away from the treadmill of "work, produce, consume, and repeat" allows us to refill our soul's reserves, which are often drained by the demands of everyday life. Without times of reflection and literal recreation, we become calculating and cynical realists; we become solely results-oriented.
Ignoring our innate need for quiet often leads us to withdraw inward to protect the self, but can quickly lead to an insular view of life.
As well, we need meaningful real world lives in community. After all, we are hardwired to be about the work of doing what our's to do to bring out the very best in everything in our portion of the world.
Ignoring our innate need for interconnection and "being human together" leaves us as less-than-fully-living beings.
As well, we need meaningful real world lives in community. After all, we are hardwired to be about the work of doing what our's to do to bring out the very best in everything in our portion of the world.
Ignoring our innate need for interconnection and "being human together" leaves us as less-than-fully-living beings.
To use the times of each day when we are awake and asleep as an analogy; time away from the busyness of life is the "sleeping" to the "waking" of everyday life.
If one goes without sleep for too long, the ability to continue to function declines precipitously. Deprived of rest, our cognitive abilities quickly become impaired.
If one sleeps and never wakes, nothing in life would get done. What's ours to do in the work of rehumanizing our world would be neglected. Those who rely on us to help meet their needs would be deprived and would suffer.
And so we must balance our times of sleeping and waking to be a whole being. As far as analogies go, I find it instructive.
And so we must balance our times of sleeping and waking to be a whole being. As far as analogies go, I find it instructive.
