To be calm and quiet by yourself is not the same as sleeping. In fact, it means being fully awake and following with close attention every move going on inside of you. It requires the discipline to recognize the urge to get up and go as a temptation to look elsewhere for what is really close at hand. It offers the freedom to stroll through your own inner yard and rake up the leaves and clear the path so you can easily find the way to your heart. Perhaps there will be fear and uncertainty when you first come upon this “unfamiliar terrain,” but slowly and surely you will discover an order and a familiarity that deepens your longing to stay home with yourself.
Nouwen, Henri J. M. ‘You are the Beloved: Daily Meditations for Spiritual Living’ (p. 135). John Murray Press.
The great spiritual task facing us is to so fully trust that we belong to God that we can be free in the world—free to speak even when our words are not received; free to act when our actions are criticized, ridiculed, or considered useless; free also to receive love from people and to be grateful for all the signs of God’s presence in the world. We will truly be able to love the world when we fully believe that we are loved far beyond its boundaries.
Nouwen, Henri J. M.. You are the Beloved: Daily Meditations for Spiritual Living (p. 389). John Murray Press.
Silence & Contemplation 