I forgot my head phones when I jogged in the canyon the other morning. But I think it was the best thing I ever could have done.
I climbed the hill in silence.
Passed the dog-walkers with only the thump-thumping of my Asics in the dirt.
Crunched the gravel with my thoughts to talk to me.
And I began to notice everything around me. It was all completely alive. I hike this canyon a couple times a week and the flowers buzzed with insects that I’d never heard before.
Some of the sounds even frightened me. Rustling in the bushes, the rattle of a rattlesnake {?} and my murmuring that I-swear-I’m-gonna-jog-earlier-in-the-morning next time. This is mountain lion country…
I recognized parts of the world that I pass by all the time but never see or hear.
It was a more difficult hike than normal and I’m sure it was because I didn’t have my playlist to distract me from the pain of clambering up the steepest trail. I felt my muscles and my chest expand with breathing. I was tired. The pain of climbing was more focused and acute and I could pinpoint my heartbeat in the tips of my fingers.
With no music to distract, I could feel every strain, every step. And none of it was easy.
I noticed the hard packed trail give way to sandy dirt, the gnats in the air caught up by a dust-devil, the track of a snake across the dust in front of me. I saw it all. Even the pain.
I wonder what would happen if I took my “headphones” out of my ears during my normal day.
If I put down my phone. If I turned off the music in the car. If I just sat and breathed and listened.
{I can’t tell you the last time I sat and quieted my soul with the purpose of listening.}
What if I were to put it all down and focus solely on the task at hand. Maybe the difficult times would even be more noticeable. But isn’t that what life is about? To be here and present all of the time, even in the pain.
Everything I use to distract myself numbs me to both JOY and to ACHE. Without the distractions everything suddenly becomes more able to be experienced.
I’m pretty sure I don’t want to live life numb. I want to climb hills aware of both the dangers and the beauties. I want to live awake.
I finished my dusty, sweaty jog and I found my car. I checked my phone and turned on the radio as I pulled out of the parking lot…
Didn’t I learn anything? It might have to be baby-steps for me.
What does it take for you to live life AWAKE?
“I want to live awake.” Amen.
love it. thanks for the reminder of the importance of unplugging.
This is amazing! I love this post and I love the way you write. So relateable.
Sarah, I just want to let you know that I subscribed to you a few weeks ago, and I love your thoughts so much. Your honesty is refreshing, and we share many of the same struggles. I don’t comment as often as I’d like because I’m a busy mom, but I wanted to let you know I’m listening . .. which by the way is much easier to do for a friend, than The Friend who I should be still before.
Beautiful reminder to be still and listen and know that He is God and He speaks best to us when we quiet all the distractions.
I’m working on a series right now about “legacy” and “life goals”. One of my life goals is to live in the moment and “be present”. I’m still trying to figure out what it takes for me to live life AWAKE, but it’s so important to do; otherwise, someday we’ll look back and wonder where the time went. Who wants THAT? I want to look back and love the memories I made because I really LIVED each moment!
Sometimes I turn off the radio in my car when I’m alone. That’s the only way I can truly just BE and LISTEN.
I don’t do it often enough.
Sometimes it those moments that I get humbled by something…to step back a moment and realize what is important! thanks for this post…I was running non-stop and I need to slow down and take it in.
I love the quiet..to hear the birds sing…the brush of the trees whisper…living on a farm…it is the best part of my day. Your thoughts are always so refreshing to me. I so enjoy visiting you.
This reminds me… when are we going for a run?
I pray “Slow me down Lord.” And then I pray exactly what you said,”Lord let me live life!” His mercy comes down to show me to serve, give and help whomever. Hurting people are everywhere. This gives me the challenge to grow as HE restores my life! Super blog, Sarah. Be blessed!
Even though I’ve been a disciple of Christ for nearly 30 years, it took learning the practice of yoga to get me to ever slow down and just listen. Listen for God’s still small whisper. I do so much questioning, thinking, pushing, and learning…even in my prayer time and time in scripture. The practice of yoga, the actual physical practice of asana and controlled breathing and the challenge of quieting my mind…that has helped remind me that I need to listen.
Mindful living does mean living a life more awake. Photographer Dane Sanders calls it “getting off of auto-pilot”.
I love this…because this is important to me. To occasionally shut off all the noise and distractions…and just BE. Just breathe. And have a little chit-a-chat with the big man upstairs. Its totally worth it!
I never wear headphones when I’m running. People have always asked me about it. There is just too much going on in the world for me to shut it out. Thanks for the awesome advice!
This was so beautiful Sarah. It felt like we were with you, which I guess we are, in Spirit. It often takes serious happenings to make me live life awake. I love it when I do, can’t even explain the feeling of it, but want to do it all the time. And I’m not there yet. Thank you for leading us to Him again and again! love, deb
Love it! I usually pump up the tunes when I clean my house, but lately I’ve been longing for the silence and allowing God to speak to my heart during that time.
I could so relate to this post. About 20 years ago I started losing my hearing. The gradual loss began to teach me to pay closer attention to the world around me. It’s not just words and sounds that tell a story. Like the quiet girl in the background who hasn’t spoken a word, yet her sunken shoulders and distant gaze scream how she’s feeling. The Lord amazes me how He uses our loss for gain. How he takes away hearing to teach us to listen. I truly enjoy reading your blog Sarah. Thanks for being faithful to lay out your life transparently for His glory.