“What deadens us most to God’s presence within us, I think, is the inner dialogue that we are continuously engaged in with ourselves, the endless chatter of human thought. I suspect that there is nothing more crucial to true spiritual comfort . . . than being able from time to time to stop that chatter . . . ”

Frederick Buechner

While waiting for a friend at the park I wandered around a tree and took a dozen photos of assorted leaves. I realized how accurate Paulo Coelho is when he states, “In a forest of a hundred thousand trees, no two leaves are alike. And no two journeys along the same path are alike.” In the past I may have wandered around in my head waiting for my friend rather than noticing the leaves. I find it enjoyable at this stage in my life to have tools to let go of the chatter, allowing me to stay more present to the world around me. And when that happens I’m more engaged in spiritual comfort.