Quiet Mornings

 I woke up as a child tiptoed up the stairs. Followed by another child and a whispered conversation that went like this: “Moses, you’ve got a stuffy, right? Because they’re going to come to life!”

I listened for a moment as Scout brought to life a wonderful game of imagination and play and then fell back to sleep. 

It was lovely, I don’t remember ever having Sundays as relaxing as they are now. 

Dan asked a question this week, “What would you do differently in this pandemic, knowing what you know now?” 

I immediately thought, “I’d have slept more!” And three days later, my answer is the same, but maybe a little more thoughtful. I’d have taken more time to be still. I don’t know how I would have made that happen, it seems like time has filled with good things, and I don’t think I could choose what I’d have omitted... but do you know something that I’d really like to get good at? Writing. I’ve never said that aloud before. But that’s a skill I want to spend time acquiring. It’s something I never take time for either. It would require a deliberate effort to sit and set everything else aside to think and write and re-write and research... and that seems like the hardest part, just getting started. 

I think it might come more naturally though if I made time for stillness. There is a quote that I have a lot of faith in, “Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man...” (Francis Bacon) It gives me hope that the effort and exercise will help refine me. 

I recently read a book that precisely put some of my feelings into words: 

“Latter-day Saints are great at getting things done. But for some, an over-emphasis on “doing” can cause us to go through the motions and miss the deep, rich spiritual power that can come from being still.” (The Power of Stillness)

I don’t want to miss tapping into that power! I’ll add that the Lord himself give the integral instruction “Be still, and know that I am God.” Note that “be still” came before the confirmation of Omnipotentence.

So here’s to being still. A little more frequently, have to start somewhere.

*I'm so thankful the children are friends, Scout is the best teacher Moses will ever have and because of her, he is our most prepared child entering Kindergarten. He can now recognize all the the alphabet and count higher than 100.