Silence and solitude

October 5th, 2010 by Regina Brett

I just returned from a weekend at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Trappist, Kentucky.

 

The silence and solitude attracted me, that, and the writing of Thomas Merton. He is the one person whose words touch me every time.

 

My favorite work of his is an excerpt from "Thoughts In Solitude." They form the prayer that I keep posted in my daily planner:

 

"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...."

 

Someone placed two rosaries on the small white simple cross that marks his grave. It looks like all the other white crosses outside of the abbey. Inside the men pray non-stop for the world, chanting ancient psalms that somehow still soothe me, along with Merton's words:

 

"Therefore I will 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 will never leave me to face my perils alone."

 

 

 

Comments (2)

Liz Hoyt Eberle — October 25th, 2010 (08:37)

I sent you a note your web page before I read your blog. sigh I forgot to add that I have a Marine son who just retired after 21 years enlisted now teaches high school kids, in Louisville, how to grow up as safe Marines. And I LOVE the Abby of Gethsemani. That s the place I WANT to revisit. Regina, it is refreshing encouraging to find a positive, loving, full of life gal out there. Keep playing praying!

Jeanne Evers — October 7th, 2010 (17:03)

you are the second person in less than a month whom i know that has had such a wonderful experience at Gethsemane. visiting/staying there is now #1 on my bucket list. actually, it s the only item ON my (now existing) list! can t wait for the solitude to sink deep into my soul away the madness of the world. God really did know what He was doing when He spent 40 days 40 nights in the desert somehow, even that seems too short a time in such a frenetic world to spend time alone with His Father. my soul aches for such peace!

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