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We
were the kings of chaos. Growing up in a house with 19 kids, 2 parents, 4 dogs and a bunch
of chickens clucking around outside, there was no chance for peace.
One day Dad gathered the family around and explained that sometimes he wants to sit
silently in solitude and contemplate his parental responsibilities. Not here, please move
on to the next house. Pass Go. Don’t collect two hundred dollars...
He went on to explain that in the back of
the storage room he had carved out a small space that would comfortably fit six or seven
people sitting on the floor. This furniture less room he said was for thinking.
Any of us were welcome in it at any time,
and he encouraged us to use it. The only two rules were these; there was to be no talking
in the room and second, anything you took in the room must leave with you after your
meditation session.
Weird. A place in our crowded confusion
for peace.
At first, I’d check to make sure
nobody was looking and then I’d sneak back there and hang out for a few minutes until
I got bored. I didn’t have any deep thoughts at the time and wasn’t sure what it
was I was supposed to be thinking.
As time went on, it became cool to be
seen going back there, and often the room had two or three people in there, sitting
cross-legged on the floor with their eyes closed.
On occasion, you’d see somebody with a clipboard and an
ink pen furiously making notes.
The no talking rule created a few
questions in my mind such as “What was my little sister thinking about? Or what was
my brother writing that could be so important to fill dozens of pages?” And nobody
ever talked about what happened back there in that room, it was as if it were holy.
And all these years later, it’s
interesting to see my siblings now with houses and families of their own and so many of us
have in our homes a “meditation room” free of clutter and chaos.
It’s not always easy, or practical
to skip off on a vacation – but it is easy to retreat for a few minutes to a quiet
part of the house to relax and regroup.
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because when you're well...everyone wins!