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Our family just returned from a vacation – the first vacation we’ve taken together in years. Prior to going on vacation, I made a mental promise to myself to put down my phone and live “in the moment,” with my children, husband, and extended family. As the week of vacation progressed, I noticed the reliance on my phone beginning to wane. And, in that time, I also began to notice myself drifting inward – a feeling which has been elusive the past few months.
Life has been crazy and hectic since I began my job this past September. I wasn’t planning on returning to work, but apparently God had other plans. Between work and family obligations, I have watched my writing slow to a crawl that doesn’t even match the pace of a snail. However, when I get a moment to breathe, instead of sitting at the desk, writing, I find myself drifting to my phone to mindlessly scroll through social media.
Sitting in the car for the two days it took to get home from vacation, I began a little introspection. For the first time in months, I truly felt peaceful. While I was feverishly catching up on a week’s worth of social media in the lengthy days on four wheels, overall I didn’t feel beholden to my phone. I didn’t feel a return call or frantic text in response to a missed work call during vacation was warranted in those precious few last hours of vacation. And, while I didn’t sneak as many pictures of my children as I would have liked, instead I had memories tucked in my head and heart, having been physically, mentally, and emotionally present during the time away.
The end of vacation brought clarity to the importance of finding a moment – perhaps stealing it here and there, or in one fell swoop, or on a regular basis – of peace.
Not all of us are called to do big things in our lives. Yet, every single one of us is called to chase holiness in our lives. We are called to recognize and then use the talents God bestows on us, to seek for, and lead others to, Christ. We are called to embrace forgiveness, not just of others, but of ourselves, acknowledging we are sinners, and God still loves us and gives us the grace and mercy to be, and do, better at the next obstacle we face. We are all called to serve others as Christ serves us.
And, in order to do that, we must be willing to search for the knowledge of Christ. We must open ourselves up and empty ourselves completely to Him. Ultimately, we must search for, and be open to finding, the peace that comes from Christ.
What does that look like, you may wonder?
For some women, finding peace comes from attending retreats with other women. Being spiritually fed in an environment which offers access to the sacraments allows for women to settle their minds and souls. Attending retreats offer opportunities for women to be inspired by the physical atmosphere, and perhaps more importantly, the spiritual atmosphere. They can be formal retreats, where “no children allowed” are a routine policy; or, they can be personal retreats, found by spending time with nature and soaking up the giggles of children chasing each other through the grass.
For other women, finding peace comes from stealing away from the home to attend a weekly – or, perhaps monthly – hour of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Sitting in the pews of a Blessed Sacrament Chapel serving as a mini-retreat, Christ fuels not just the mind, but also the spirit.
Still other women may find peace by serving – not just the people inside the walls of their home, but also those within their community. By looking out for the needs of others, these women find a connection with Christ, which in turn ushers in the incomparable experience of peace.
Most will agree spending time away from social media, or our smartphones, or our computers, or television, will aid us in finding peace.
In a nutshell, how we find peace in our lives is individual.
But, finding our avenue of peace within the busy nature of life is as important as the air we breathe, or the Eucharist we receive on a weekly basis.
Finding the peace in our lives allows us to center ourselves and remember the importance of our lives – to learn, to know, to love, and to serve God.
There will always be something bigger, something more important, and something more pressing that is weighing on our hearts. We will feel tugged in every direction, and find ourselves stressed to the max, wondering when we will next get a chance to breathe.
Finding that moment of peace must become intentional, and ultimately, it must become a priority. For, in the moments of peace, I truly believe we will each find what I experienced at the tail end of my week away from the daily grind.
In the peace, we will find the stillness of our hearts.
We will hear God gently whispering to our souls.
We will find the nourishment that only God can provide.
How have you intentionally carved out time to search for peace in your life? And, if you haven’t taken an intentional approach, what is holding you back?
Copyright 2019 Anni Harry
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