Prescription: Down Time in Foreign Tongues

January 29, 2013

The other day my son had a voice recital.  I was actually dreading it because I thought it would be three hours hearing other people's kids for just three minutes of hearing my own.  To top it off, the songs would be sung in foreign languages.  Who needs that on a Sunday afternoon?  Especially when I had papers to grade and shopping to do.

But I went anyway.  I went to hear my son and I went to support his friends.  And I went because I knew I should.

Thankfully, I went because what I discovered was that sitting there listening to twenty four talented voices gave me a gift I never expected.  That recital forced me to stop and listen.  Be in the moment.  Take in what's around me and let go of everything else.

I was forced to stop.  To listen.  To be still.  To let go.

I needed that.  It was like a forced time out.  And I left there different.  Proud, of course, of my son's performance, but also more at peace.  My nerves were more settled, my anxiety was down, my stress nearly absent from my mind.  All because of a voice recital I dreaded...who knew?

So what will make you stop?

And listen?

And be still?


What will bring you a forced time out?  What will bring you peace?




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