Peace in Chaos

 

The world is full of chaos. As of this writing, there is war in the Middle East, Ukraine, and smaller battles elsewhere. There are threats to our ideal of democracy. On a personal level I deal with chaos in coping with a loved one who has mental illness, students who seek some sort of structure and guidance, and the own battles I wage in my head. Chaos is everywhere.

My last few days at Portsmouth Abbey Monastery has been a time of peace in the middle of all the chaos. Here the monks lead a simple life. There are prayers, work that needs to be done. While they are aware of the troubles of the outside world. here they keep calm, and face everything with kindness and patience. There is a lesson to be learned in how they live. We make our lives more complicated than they need to be at times. These men have shed themselves of much of the noise, clutter and chaos that goes on around them. 

I'm not going to argue theology, politics, or the history of the Catholic Church. I am going to say the men I lived with for the past few days keep it simple, and understand how to work in community. They understand peace of mind, and what providing a refuge means to others.

"Peace demands the most heroic labor and the most difficult sacrifice. It demands greater heroism than war. It demands greater fidelity to the truth and a much more perfect purity of conscience."

     - Thomas Merton

I am told often I am a patient man. I can see why people think this. I have come to the conclusion that  I agree. I don't know where the patience came from. Maybe it was an internal peace I have. Don't be fooled thought, I have my moments. I tap my foot, I get anxious(don't make me late for anything). On the issues that matter I am patient. I am patient with people, because they need it. They need someone who will take the time to listen and understand. I don't always get that patience in return. That is when I have to dig deeper and be doubly patient. 

Peace of mind is a tricky thing. Finding it is one thing, keeping it is another. I want my time here to extend beyond tomorrow and the next day. That is why I need to make a pledge to return from time to time, so I can adjust, take stock, reflect, meditate, and remind myself what I need to do to shut out the chaos, and be at peace.