a gathering of Friends

our soul too has seasons. after working in a church for over a decade, i've been wondering where i can go to rest but still have community on a sunday morning? today i visited a gathering of quakers (Friends) for their unprogrammed service. no more than 12 of us sat in a circle while someone read mark 4:26-32. and then we sat in silence. after maybe a half hour, a few people said some short connections and analogies out loud; things that came to their mind. it was rich, a meaningful hour together. definitely better than being home alone reading these verses, which would rob a community of something God might want me to contribute (someone reminded me of this recently because we tend to view church attendance as a product that we can get something out of but it's not all about us). certain styles of getting together with others right now though are just too loud, too bright, leaving me sometimes more overwhelmed, tired and scattered than when i came. today contained an optimum blend of fellowship and simplicity that i found deeply energizing.

in my 20's i had a soul of zeal, a fire with lots of spark, flame and action. now it has calmed down, deepened through suffering and increased in white-hot coals of contemplation that lead, i hope, to more accurate and focused action. for my soul right now anyway, less is definitely more. this spills over into other areas of life where i find i'm not afraid to rest before i need to. and it gives me the time, space and style that my personality needs right now to really think things over.

what season might your soul be in?