Morning Watch

The church camp I attended during junior high and high school had what they called Morning Watch. It was a 30 minute period of silence right before breakfast when you could choose to sit by the lake or under a tree and meditate, write in a little provided journal or just be. I have no idea what other kids did or thought about if they even participated in the time. From the very first morning I sat by the lake, I loved it. I especially appreciated the quiet. Among all the noise of a camp full of teenagers, those thirty 

minutes of silence stood out as a very special time. I hadn’t thought of Morning Watch in years. 

This morning I was up before 6 and instead of putting Oso out, I took him out and walked up the hill with him. Suddenly I was thinking of Morning Watch. The earth was quiet. Really quiet. Chattering critters were still waking in their nests. No cars whirred by on the road below. Boaters were having their first cups of coffee. It was also still. No breeze wafted through the pine needles. Oso made no noise as he tracked some night animal through the woods. Even my own steps fell gently and lightly on the soft pine needles. It was a beautiful silence with which to start my day. 

May your day be blessed with enough silence to help you have focus and clarity during the noisy times ~