Beyond the split fence rails lies the hushed timber strewn wonderland. Within it's sanctuary there is quiet, a deep quiet which stills the clamoring world which surrounds us. This is a haven of solitude worth exploring, much like the inner places of ourselves. Not often do we look within the self for this place of perfect peace, but it is there, awaiting our arrival. Some cultures and\or religions advise us to "meditate" to seek this portion of our being. That's one way of arriving, but there are others. My cousin that has completed the Boston Marathon 7 times(no, he didn't really place well, but that was not the objective)has told me of the times he has found this realm while running. A place where the peace is "perfect." An artist friend has confided that finding that "perfect" place is a matter of total focus which obliterates everything else that surrounds the work area. A priest that I spent many years working with often spoke of the "special" peace he found in retreats of seclusion during which he fasted for days. My youngest daughter recently shared that she has found "perfect" peace in the midst of the mountains which surround her new home. I suppose that each of us has, or should have, an inkling of where it is that we can turn to find peace. My Savior gave us His peace and taught us to find it in communion with God the Creator by virtue of the Spirit's leading. That is one I seek often, sometimes purely out of reflex. We all have that hunger for the "Peace" which surpasses all understanding. The surroundings in which it is found are of consequence only to the individual, the results are the same, God inspired. The only question that remains when we arrive is, "How deep can this special place of peace be, and how long can I stay?" That is of our choosing, and God's making. It is up to each of us to determine how much we truly wish to be at peace with all of creation and how long we will remain so. In Christ's Love, Preacher.
