Friday, July 16, 2010

Silent variations

Whatever It Takes

I wonder if it was just a coincidence that my ears got plugged with wax last week
just before I was scheduled to start an eight day silent retreat.
The over-the-counter solution that I tried only seemed to make things worse,
and after a couple of treatments, I could hardly hear a thing.
This had never happened to me before.
The silence enclosed me like a bubble,
and it was like being on my own personal silent retreat,
surrounded by quiet wherever I went.
In a way, it was good preparation for this week,
a reminder that the chatter that normally fills my days doesn't really amount to much.
But my ears cleared up just before I left,
and I am glad to be able to hear those birds chirping in the trees,
as I settle into this mostly silent community.

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