In the Quiet

There is a part of me that longs for quiet. Real quiet. That every sound might fade away until just my breath and my heartbeat remain.

But quiet applies to more than just sound. I long for the quiet of peaceful situations. That the chaos of life around me would stop, if for only a moment, until that all elusive centering peace can be obtained, and enjoyed. I want to submerge myself in it. I want to float on the gentle waves of Presense. To close my eyes, and not a single distraction pull me away from this quiet space.

With quietness of sound and quietness of space, I can then move into quietness of mind. I can S L O W D O W N the thoughts that have tossed and tumbled, around and around in my mind like a waterspout. Persistent. Relentless. I want to let go of the feelings they bring. I want to scream them out into the dark until they too are enveloped by quiet. I want each passing thought, both mundane and damaging, to melt like wax in the presense of flame. To drip, slowly and steadily, away until I am left only with the delicate smoke of my prayers. To feel real quiet, to live real quiet. To bring to a halt the wildly spinning top that reflects my torturing inner voice, and simply REST.

Please… please hear my quiet prayer.