Into each life some rain. . .

Hi, friends!

This morning it rained. Lots. I was up at about 5:30. I went out to the front porch. And listened. And thought. . .

I have been dealing with stress lately. In fact, I don't think I've had a stress-free moment for weeks now. I'm not going into what, exactly, the stressors are, but it's one set in one place and another set in another place. The end result: there's no getting away. At times I have felt like I was about to split like a rotten nut.

I'm an introvert in the Jungian, Myers-Briggs Type Inventory sense. Being an introvert has its strong points. When confronted with the unknown an introvert tends to prefer to look to their own internal resources to deal with that unknown. MacGyver would be the introvert nonpareil. Introversion also has aspects that are neither good nor bad. Extroverts go to a party and, when it's done, say, "Where's the next party?" We introverts hate large parties. I characteristically try to make my escape from such events as soon as I gracefully can. If I have to plan one that's to my liking, it would be dinner with a few - a very few - close friends. When the party is done, we don't look for the next party. We look to go home. There is, at least, one part of being an introvert that puts us - at least, me - at a distinct disadvantage. We tend to internalize everything. Everything.

Had my life taken a different turn at a few points I could have been perfectly happy as a Trappist monk.

So, the rain. I went to the porch. The only sound was the rain and the occasional thunder. I sat on the porch. And in the silence, I found myself praying. Not for anything; I try not to pray like God's a short order cook: "I'd like two over easy, some toast, a side of bacon and some OJ and coffee, please. And take care of my stressors, will ya?" She knows what I need before I know it. But, my prayer, as it often is, was silence. And listening. Listening. I didn't consciously seek to be in that state, but I was.

And, for a few moments anyway, I had some truly stress-free time. For a few moments, anyway, it wasn't all about me and my problems, which are pretty petty, after all, in the grand scheme of things. For a few moments, anyway, I was as conscious as I have ever been that I and we are part of something and Someone much larger than we.

Be still, and know that I am God.

Thank you for that, God.