Slowing Down

I have two framed photographs on the wall in my office that remind me to slow down.

One is a winter scene of a trapper’s tilt in North West River, overlooking Hamilton Inlet in Central Labrador. There are no people in the scene, just deep snow, snow covered tilts, snow speckled trees and a pale blue winter sky. Just looking at the picture reminds me of my walks around town. You didn’t need to drive in the village and the paths through the woods were lovely, especially on a winter evening. There were no streetlights so you took your own flashlight. And you always looked up at the brilliant stars and northern lights. I look at the scene, and can’t help but breathe more slowly.

The other photo gives me almost the same feeling. A friend took a picture of me from a distance, standing by the Sea of Galilee back in 2001. The sun was just rising over the Golan Heights in the distance. It was the quietest moment of the day. In 10 minutes I would be on a noisy bus headed to the dig site, but for a few moments each morning, I stood and contemplated what had taken place on this lake so long ago.

Do you have icons on your shelves or walls, that take you to a quiet place? Maybe it’s a place in your imagination, which re-orients you, re-stores you, re-news you. Take a deep breath. Where is that scene for you? What are the sounds, the smells, the tastes? Where is the place for you that ushers you into the peaceful presence of God?