Oblate Challenge of the Week: Silence
Posted on | October 25, 2006
by | Kim, Obl.O.S.B
I had recently emailed Fr. H ways in which to cultivate silence. Obviously, since I can’t plunge my entire lifetime into silence, and since school and work demand that I use my voice a lot; I always come to the “Silence” part in the Rule and just shake my head and wonder. SO I decided to stop head-shaking and start asking.
Fr. H, who obviously had been prompted by the Holy Spirit; wrote back and suggested that I refrain from certain types of speech – mainly gossip and hateful talk. Whoa nelly. Back the horse up. Gossiping is a past-time here in the halls and my work definitely gives me ample opportunity to be rather … unpleasant with my speech. And while it’s been a topic that I’ve thought about, I never really gave it much effort to practice it.
So this week began the Great “What the Heck Exactly Is Coming Out Of My Mouth” mindfulness, if you will; and I found that a lot of things that I want to talk to people about – I can’t. Because they’re …. GOSSIP! Oh, man. The funny thing is that the world didn’t stop turning and I actually continued on to function like a normal human being without gossiping. Working on cultivating productive and pleasant speech is another thing. I’ve realized how much of that is habitual and will really need to work at.
In addition to watching what I speak, Fr. H also suggested some time in which I turn off “electronic background noise” (I love that term of his) and spend time in prayer and spiritual reading. That’s even MORE hard than watching what I say! Because I talk so much I’m so used to having something “anything” fill up the void. Not to mention my body is still getting used to the Clonazepam, so a consistent sleep schedule is still in the works.
But, my Oblate Goals of the Week can be summed up as such:
- No more gossiping and harmful speech
- Find time in which no one can bug me, I can be free of distractions and use that time to pray and spiritual reading (probably the daily Bible reading I have for my FOCUS Bible study group). Obviously I should pray more than when I can’t be distracted, but in the distraction free time give it to God and see what He makes of it. Like having a date with Him or something. ::giggle::
At any rate, I need to turn in. I have such a sleep debt racked up that I am needing more than just eight hours of sleep a night for the Clonazepam. Right now the worst side effect is that I think I am made out of Legos and that I am tired well until noon or 1pm. I’ve already overslept a course. Hopefully once we get the body used to it all will be well.
Pax!!
(P.s. I am on Day 2 of praying a novena to St. Jude for some special intentions. Please feel free to pray along with me, any novena of your choice should suffice. Also, I had no clue that 10/28 was the feast of Sts. Jude and Simon.
Sts. Simon and Jude, pray for us!)
Comments: 2
Comments
2 Responses to “Oblate Challenge of the Week: Silence”
Associations
October 25th, 2006 @ 10:45 pm
I’m half tempted not to right anything here and call it my own silence.
But to call it silence would eliminate the silence. I’m sure you see my dilemma.
Good luck with the whole No-gossip-thing. I’ve occassionaly noticed how often we all do that, and how often we try to disguise it.
I’ve found the best time when no one bugs me is during class, because their all paying attention to the proffesor.
Don’t forget pumpkin carving tomorrow! Or do forget and then remember. Or remember, and forget afterwards. Or stay home and do homework. Or sit in silence. Whatever.
But now you won’t forget.
October 26th, 2006 @ 6:14 am
I have done similar challenges in the past, one of which is the reason I don’t use the word hate anymore… or at least lightly…
Good luck, my gossiping has gotten a little out of hand lately I think I will try to keep it in check as well. So you won’t be alone in this challenge… I had my religious ed group pray for you yesterday, keep us updated on the RLS