THE VALUE OF TAKING TIME TO STAND AND STARE

One of my favorite childhood poems which we had to memorize in school is LEISURE by W.H. Davies (1871-1940). Having lived a busy, goal-oriented life, the concept of leisure was always suspect. I always felt guilty if I found time on my hands. As I contemplate retirement the poem has more meaning.

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like stars at night.

Not time to turn at Beauty’s glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

So much of life is “full of care”, full of our responsibilities and the long list of things we want to accomplish. To “stand and stare” is a luxury or a symptom of laziness in our success oriented culture. Yet, if we do not learn to “stand and stare” we will miss out on what God may be wanting to teach us.

Every morning I rise early, make a pot of coffee, and settle down in my armchair for my quiet time with the Lord. After reading the Scripture passage for the day and other devotional material I sit back and meditate on what the Lord is saying to me. I try to listen and reflect in an unhurried manner. As I look out the window at this time of the year I see the crepe myrtles budding, the azaleas blooming: white, pink and mauve blossoms, the viburnum sprouting light green leaves, the birds flitting through the trees, the cassia and golden raintree I installed coming to life after the bare branches of winter. God through Nature speaks to me through the change of seasons when seemingly dead foliage produces new life.

There are seasons in our lives when nothing seems to be happening and the landscape is grey. If we are patient, read and listen to the voice of the Spirit, new life will appear. The Latin word for it is resurgam: I shall rise again.