A hiding place – a temporary refuge from the daily grind –

From the madness of the world and the noise of angry voices.

My heart sometimes breaks at all that’s happening in my world and then something wonderful happens to remind me that none of it will last.  It’s a brief interlude which flows like a miniscule whisper in comparison to the breath of God.

I, like many others, have been going through ups and downs during this pandemic.  I understand now what manic depression must be like, when I go from one extreme to another in a fraction of a second.  I seem to be lost at times and wonder what will happen next and the next minute I find hope in God’s plan for this world.

Where is your little corner?  Do  you have a place where you can go to flee the cries of resistance and discontent?  We all have our alone places – those defense mechanisms, – a bullwark of sorts –  where we can simply squash the sounds of hatred, bullying, fear mongering, racism, lies and vibrations that fly through the air and into our ears.

My maternal grandmother would sit on a log in the woods to get away from the pain of losing one of her children.  I can almost envision her screaming her laments to God.  My husband finds his quiet place in the beauty of God’s creation.  He can soak up contentment, when all the world is closing in on him, by breathing in the fresh air and observing animals and birds in their own habitat. During one of the most difficult times in his life, he kept a journal which reads much like the Psalms.

Some find peace in the midst of the noise.  They seem to believe that more noise will smother the other, just like a junkie or alcoholic seeking solace from just one more hit.  I used to retreat to reading books.  Now I fall asleep doing so.  I’m not sure if it’s because my attention span is wavering or if my real peace comes from sleep. We can stuff our ears with cotton, wear headphones and listen to music that drowns out the craziness.  We can stay away from the media.  We can avoid going out in public.  Still the cacophony, the discord, the pandemonium will seep through the barricades and make itself known once more.

We wonder if our own voice has any merit.  We even think that our words aren’t heard.  We fade into a corner of our own making and shield ourselves from the negativity, but there is really only one source of peace and that comes through God’s Word.  It is our little corner of the world, because within its pages we find complete and utter sanctuary.  We can also be assured that our voice will be heard by the author of that book.

“If the person you are talking to doesn’t appear to be listening, be patient.
It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.” —

Winnie the Pooh