In a rural county like ours sometimes a drive to a town not so far away is less than a straight shot across a few miles. There is no way to go 'as the crow flies' so the trip takes a twisty circuitous route up hill and down just to get over the 'mountain'. A few days ago I drove early in the morning to one of those not so far away towns. Not being pressed for time, as often is the case, I took it slow to enjoy the scenery and wildlife. Yet, my mind was going a mile a minute planning the rest of day, wanting to be ready for whatever came next.
My churning brain finally came to a halt when I saw ahead a woman standing off to the left side of the road absolutely stock still. She wore beige clam diggers, a light blue shirt and a curled brim straw hat, all very stylish. Surely a New York City weekend visitor was my quick evaluation. Her back was to the road and she was gazing out over the vista before her eyes. By her posture and stillness, I knew in an instant that she was savoring a particularly beautiful early morning sight. I slowed to share her obvious enchantment.
Plainly she'd had the sense, the openness, the availability to allow herself to to gaze contemplatively as she strolled and then to soak in the gift before her eyes. Still slanted rays of morning sun were bathing in golden light an open marsh which deeply penetrated the surrounding woods. Greens and yellows were iridescently assertive, defying the lingering vestige of the cool night's low slung haze. The view was positively mystical.
The woman had succumbed to an invitation to enter into a rare moment and linger there for a time. She and I were taken by the power of this sight; transported into another realm. Proceeding on my way, I thought of that brief moment as an experience of kairos time, God's time; the mystery of which is merely being hinted at in new theories coming from the science of quantum physics. This is not chronos time. It is not linear, not limited; only infinite and immanent. In this epiphany moment, in this moment in kairos time, I recognized how chained I am to chronos time - linear, controllable, knowable and therefore to be managed all on my own. What must I do; how must I try to be in order for my mind and spirit, my body and soul, to reside more in the realm of kairos time; in the realm of God's time?
1 comment:
What beautiful imagery, Sr. Hildegard! I have read this more than once and I am caught up in the beauty of that marsh - and the significance it obviously had for you and the unknown woman in the straw hat. Thanks so much for sharing this!
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