You are not as separate as you think

It’s been a week of letting go of expectations and hopes here in Durham. It was easy to begin this period of hometime with grand visions of how it would be, and idealised views of family members, including myself.

Many have commented that the time at home is somewhat akin to a spiritual retreat, where we strip back distractions and interaction, and spend some time going inwards to reflect, be still, and listen.

The curious thing about retreats is, while they are designed to cause inwards reflection, the insights they so often provoke are about the nature of connectedness and what is beyond us. When there is stillness and quiet, the still small voice of calm is more easily heard. Birdsong is more audible, growth of flowers more noticable, and even breathing is more perceptible.

Amidst the busy-ness of working from home, educating children, shopping for vulnerable loved ones and all the myriad of other tasks you may be doing, take as many moments as you can to just pause. Take space to sit, even for sixty seconds, and to listen. And when you do, remember that it is your ears that are hearing, and that the sound you hear does not exist without them. Really, you are not as separate as you may think.