Solitude

Thomas Merton, in his book, Thoughts on Solitude wrote, “My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”  This quote has always resonated with me and I know that I need to remember it more often.  So often in our daily living the pace is rather frenetic and we do not have time to focus on what is important.  Contemplation has been described as "taking a long loving glance at the real."  I believe that the Lenten season can provide us with the time and space to look at our lives through the lens of contemplation. May these days of solitude be filled with much peace for all of us.

Pat Schifini, OSU