Sistere - Stand Still

Can you feel it? The stillness? The complete stillness after the storm.

In case you missed it this week, the elements held a rage party throughout Washington state. Rains fell beyond the pale. Water was spilling from above and beneath. Levees collapsed. Creeks and rivers overflowed. Thunder and lightning played across the sky. Winds ripped trees from their roots, as if they were saplings. Human power supplies were cut off. Roads became impassable. Places of business closed. Grocery stores emptied refrigerator goods by the ton. Homes and families waited in darkness for days. County crews could be found cleaning up the carnage left in the wake. All the while rescue teams of every stripe worked tirelessly around the clock to curtail any further damage.

But at 3 am, this morning, I was awakened by silence. I opened my window, inhaled the air, listened to the splendid nothingness. Sistere, the Latin word for stand still, was in full force. It felt as if nature was celebrating its own success through the challenge, it had just gone through.

As I gazed and felt sistere, a quiet whisper crept over me, "There's another storm coming." I knew from the tone, that this storm was not natures. While, I tucked my cold feet back under the covers, I thought of the storm ahead. We call it the holiday season. It like the recent storms that blew through our state, the holidays can be bright and amazing as thunder and lightning. Fully illuminating our senses. We will feel floods of emotions from inside and out, like the gallons of water that poured out of every nook and cranny of Mother Earth this week. There will be moments of dark and light. Then, as quickly as it blew in, it will blow out again. Leaving various detritus in its wake.

When it is all complete, or perhaps even in the eye of the storm, may sistere - the beauty of stillness, find you. May it wrap you in a warm hug of awe and joy.

My fondest holiday wishes to you.