Sanctuary

Sanctuary 

In the busyness of life, moments come and go without even a thought.

Running over the list in your mind like moms of seven counting noses

To make sure none have been left behind.

Sleep is illusive, always the hope of rest with a settled heart

Where all is right in your world as far as you can tell

But always wondering if something has been forgotten.

But then other moments come, those which were unexpected.

An unintentional word spoken which strikes a chord on a broken string

Yielding an unsettling tone.

The pain is real, but there’s no time to give place for it now

Because the relentless list keeps charging toward you

Forcing a showdown of will.

This is life for many, if not all, who try to live in normal.

The balance constantly being considered to see if it’s level

Hoping no one will discover the deficit.

But then … there are also moments which catch us unaware

With total goodness and peace that cannot even be said using words.

When you are there, you know.

You remove the clock from the wall in hopes that it will forget

To mark time while in this wondrous place of solitude

Where the only sound is your heartbeat

It’s hard, if not impossible, to manufacture these moments

Because if you could, you may never want to leave this place

Which seems like it is the very presence of God.

The clock has not actually stopped, only the awareness of it

So you pick yourself up, dust off the list, and forge on through life

Always waiting for the next surprise.

If only you could find that place once more.