Lately I've been reading Marcus Aurelius' Meditations. I've admired his writings for years, but this is the first time I've ever sat down to read more than a paragraph or two. One thing that struck me was, and I'm paraphrasing heavily here, a section in which he stated that people are always trying to escape chaos. They go to the countryside, they go to the beach to get away from it. (How funny that 2000 years ago people were still going to the same places on vacation!) Aurelius said what we need is not to get away to find peace, but to create peace within our own minds and then we can visit that place for a moment or two right in the middle of any chaos and find rest from it. This is such a foundational truth to deliberate living. I couldn't agree more with that sentiment and creating inner calm and organization to my thoughts is something I have been striving for since I was only a teen.
However, I also find that it helps not only to create an inner calm, but to also create calm spaces if we do need a retreat that lasts more than a moment or two. My home is a home of peace, where, in spite of having two teens we have (relatively) little strife. That takes work! Creating and then maintaining peace takes a lot of work. Chaos is the easy road and that's why it is so common. Not only that inner and relational peace, but for the last two years I've been slowly working at transforming the wild forest of my yard into a little hideaway and now, I think it's there. The last little touches are in place and I can find rest and respite from the chaos of the world without having to go any farther than my own back yard.
However, I also find that it helps not only to create an inner calm, but to also create calm spaces if we do need a retreat that lasts more than a moment or two. My home is a home of peace, where, in spite of having two teens we have (relatively) little strife. That takes work! Creating and then maintaining peace takes a lot of work. Chaos is the easy road and that's why it is so common. Not only that inner and relational peace, but for the last two years I've been slowly working at transforming the wild forest of my yard into a little hideaway and now, I think it's there. The last little touches are in place and I can find rest and respite from the chaos of the world without having to go any farther than my own back yard.
Post a Comment
Thank you for stopping by! I read every comment and I always try to respond. This is a polite and respectful blog, so please keep your comments polite and respectful too, or I will delete them. ;)
I ALSO DO NOT PUBLISH COMMENTS WHICH ARE INTENDED TO DIRECT TRAFFIC TO ANOTHER BLOG OR WEBSITE! It's cheap and tacky, so don't do it.
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.