Solitude...

Yesterday the canoe hit the water for the first time this year... There's nothing so grand as getting out on the water, even if it's only for an hour or two, and letting the peacefulness of nature permeate the soul... Have you ever noticed how peaceful nature is? It seems to be almost always at rest. Those times of occassional violent expolsions within the heirarchy of nature are always followed by rest and serenity. The aberant to the serenity of nature is the infusion of man. We are not peaceful or serene by nature at all.

It took time, and practice, and dedication, but I've come to learn to love solitude. It is incredible how allowing the mind and body to just stop- no worrying, no fretting, just getting away for a time and allowing the peace of nature to permeate, to allow the peace of God to soothe the soul can so totally recharge my life batteries. My ability to focus, to zone in and concentrate on the task at hand has dramatically increased as I've learned to let go of worry and fretting through those times of solitude. My ability to problem-solve as well, is much more acute since learning to appreciate the benefits of solitude.

Solitude is beneficial for everyone, but not everyone is capable of the experience. It takes a willingness to let go of the busyness of life, if for just a while, and a commitment to try and understand the precepts of mental release- or more plainly, learning to just let go of life's worries for a designated time and tap into the underlying peace that always surrounds us, though we are often unaware of its presence...

Yet in solitude we sometimes find more than we desire, for when alone we find only God and ourselves present, and as much as some may not want to face or acknowledge God having to face ourselves can be an even scarier proposition. It is in times of solitude we recognize our weaknesses, our deficiencies, and most do not want to handle that. And yet, when we are willing to face ourselves, we can find our strengths, and learn to maximize our potential while learning to deal with our deficiencies in a healthy manner...

Solitude is a discipline of God, often practiced by Jesus when he walked this Earth, and for that alone it is worth learning and exploring. The greater good is in learning to slow down and recognize and enjoy the peace and serenity of creation, and the majesty of God...