Sacred Space

Steph: Do you have enough time in your day to quiet your mind long enough to reflect on your life? Life is so busy with work, chores, children’s activities, that I find it hard to allow my mind to wander and dream. It seems I have to put a reminder on my phone for everything.  If I don’t set aside even a small amount of time each day for peace, quiet, and reflection, how can I ever find the space to ask life’s big questions (or even the little ones)?

Paul: Recently, I reflected on whether I’m carving out enough time for sacred space. What does this look like in my daily life? For me, it means going outdoors alone, sitting in a quiet place (I like a bench along a stream near where we live), and just being alone with my thoughts. Sometimes I read and sometimes I call a friend on the phone, but mostly I just sit there in the quiet. Disconnecting from my to do list and computer for this little respite helps me center myself and regain perspective on what really matters to me.

Steph: I prefer the quiet of the morning. I get my coffee and settle in for some prayer.  I reflect on my hopes and dreams for our children and my marriage, the state of the world, my family relationships. One of my sisters died recently and it is in my quiet, sacred space that I continue to grieve and remember her. Making time for silence has become a necessity so I can begin my day with renewed hope and energy.

Paul: We find that taking some time regularly to “re-boot” our hearts and minds with some quiet time helps us to self-reflect. Sacred space allows us to consider how we can be a better spouse to each other, better parents to our children, better members of our community. We can then begin to think of ways to put these hopes and dreams into practice daily. It’s really just a re-evaluation of where we are and where we want to be  – and that allows us to make the changes necessary to get there. As a result of having sacred space, we are more patient, gentle, and attentive with each other.