being still collage

Rick Beerhorst 1


Originally uploaded by bbmarie.

My daughter Rain came into our bedroom this morning around 4 o'clock saying she was scared. I was not crazy about being awake so early but we ended up sitting together in a big cozy chair downstairs. Eventually she fell back to sleep in my arms and I was able to lay her down on the couch with a pillow and a blanket. After I was done being mad about my sleep being interupted I was able to enjoy sitting in the dark and being still with a beautiful child in my lap. The only sound was our breathing.



"The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention.... A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words."



Rachel Naomi Remen

Comments

[Susan]

Thank you for sharing such a beautiful moment with us :-)

[Dave Shaw]

Hi Rick:
"A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words.”
This is so true. When we had some trouble in the family earlier this year, and I was sharing it with my two brothers during a campout, my older brother, who is a pastor, listened calmly while I explained what happened; my younger brother was, on the other hand, quite animated and adamant about what I should do regarding this problem. What made more of an impact? My older brother's calm silence. It said: "This will pass; God will be with you. I have confidence in your abilities as a father."