She Couldn't Sit Still

Lisa sat on the cushion on the floor, squinting her eyes shut.

She wiggled. She squirmed. Her back ached. She wondered when she was going to meet her soul mate. She worried about having enough money to pay her bills. She peeked out of her eyes.The happy little nun was supposed to teach Lisa how to meditate.The nun was meditating just fine. She looked like she was in a trance.Lisa closed her eyes again. She tried to erase all thoughts from her mind, but the thoughts kept pouring in.“Okay,” Lisa finally said when she couldn’t sit any longer. “I’m done. How long has it been?”The nun opened her eyes.“Seven minutes,” she said.A Psalm from the Old Testament says, “Be Still and Know that I am God.” Many of us have no problem knowing that God is God. The hard part is being still.Read a daily meditation book. Go to yoga class. Relax in a hot tub. Take a walk. Two ideas are involved with developing a personal relationship with anyone: talking, and listening.You can’t hear unless you’re being quiet.Shhhhh.Be still. Focus on something other than what you’re able to think about on your own—a virtue, a higher ideal, a place or an idea that brings peace.Or leave an empty quiet space.

Ask God to fill that up.If you can’t sit still for seven minutes, then do less.Meditating for five minutes a day can change your life.

From the book: Choices: Taking Control of Your Life and Making It Matter