Flying miles and miles away from all that was familiar I expected to feel a little lost. I expected to feel a little disconnected...turned about...frayed.
But I never expected to find a piece of myself.
We both came for the meeting, she and I. We sat beside each other at dinner and laughed and chatted and enjoyed. And after, back at the hotel, it was too early to retire, so we arranged to meet back up.
In her room, she made tea in the complimentary coffee maker and we strolled out to the pool, mugs in hand. We sat on the patio and soaked our tired feet in cool water and let words work out the aches of being away from home.
When the concrete became too hard we moved to the deck chairs, sipped lukewarm tea and just talked until dark hugged us into saying goodnight. And tired as I was, I lay in that queen-sized bed and couldn’t fall asleep. Conversation still hummed in my ears and found that I didn’t want it to end.
When was the last time I had listened this way? Not just hearing, but with an open heart—a movement to deeper intimacy? And when had I last shared so transparently?
I couldn’t remember. But it felt good and I knew our words were shepherded by that Invisible Goodness that never leaves me to my own devices. As I lay in that hotel bed, aware of how alone I was, I remembered lost days of sleepovers and giggling in the dark and sleepless nights.
And for a brief moment, I considered knocking on her door to see if she was game. But before I could act on such silliness, sleep came and tucked me in.
Thank goodness. I am, after all, a grown up.
Aren’t I?
Any Christian can, and many Christians do, listen and help us listen to the undercurrents in our language, the unspoken and unheard, the silences that undergird so much of the language that we use unthinkingly. These conversations can cultivate a sensitivity to the ways of the Holy Spirit, encourage an embrace of ambiguity, extend a willingness to live through times when there is no discernible “direction” at all. With such listening, we get used to living a mystery and not demanding information to footnote everything that is going on…--Eugene H. Peterson, Tell it Slant: A Conversation on the Language of Jesus in His Stories and Prayers
How about you? How do you embrace the God-joy? Every Monday I’ll be sharing one of my Playdates with God. I would love to hear about yours. It can be anything: outside, quiet time. Maybe it’s solitary. Maybe it’s loud and crowded. Just find Him. Be with Him. And come tell us about it.
Grab the Playdates button from the sidebar:
Sharing with L.L. Barkat today also:
22 comments:
Listening to you write, it's like a conversation that I never want to end.
How very sweet. :)
Look at your tootsies!! Makes me want to be poolside too.
Say, say ole playmate, come out and play with me...
You remember this little song when you were a child?
I've been enjoying your Play Dates series. They've been very uplifting, inspiring and fun.
listening seems to be something you do very well ...
sometimes your writing just slays me.
i wanna play...smiles...glad you found a friend to breathe life with...
Who says we can't be silly just because we're grownups.
Aren't we?
True connection, a rare gift. You write about it so well, Laura.
I often hunger for that deep conversation, too. I love the depth of which Jesus speaks, but realize also, that it is simple. Uncluttered. I want to speak that way, too.
Sounds lovely! I enjoyed how you brought in the sleepovers. Oh, how I remember and miss those!
Just... I love this.
There's not enough room in most of our lives for the silence of just listening. Sometimes people actually manage to find a good friend to listen with, listen to, listen up! Sometimes we must let our listening and sharing come via words in a book, the beauties of nature, or our prayers to/with God.
Solitude can also be a sharing, a linking. Our inner thoughts, and God.
I've posted my link, Laura. Sorry I messed it up again. I don't know how to delete the ones that don't work. The second try seems to have "made it."
this is being fed in the deepest sense .. thank you for the poetic way you share life Laura
It is such a good thing to be able to share conversation and know that it is good and right.
I'm so glad you had that time Laura.
I went to a conference last weekend, away from husband and children, and experienced some of that same euphoria. Loved reading about yours.
What Deb Colarossi said. Love this line: "I knew our words were shepherded by that Invisible Goodness that never leaves me to my own devices." Gives me chills. Blessings to you friend,this Holy week.
oh i want this too, this transparency. thank you for living it, dear laura.
Sometimes, that time away, not being pulled in every other direction, your heart gets that chance to open up.
I'm a grown up, but I do occasionally arrange for that sleepover.
perhaps growing-up is in part becoming a child.
Thanks for your kind thoughts on my post...lovely to meet you too. Looking forward to reading more from your blog. God Bless.
You put it so well. God bless you! Patsy from
HeARTworks
Love the Eugene Peterson quote. We so need more of this kind of encouragement, to process God as part of our dreary, everyday living, embracing the not knowing, rather than expecting magic.
Lately, I have been seeing God's face in the round light of the full moon, casting amazing muted shadows in the night.
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