Girl
Reading at a Table,
1934 |
On
Finding Solitude and a Great Cup of Coffee In his classic book "Life Together", Dietrich Bonhoeffer warns of two extremes that affect Christian communities: On one extreme, there are those who "cannot" be alone. They hide themselves in groups of people and seek fellowship as a diversion from self reflection and examination. They bring little value to the community itself, but instead sponge their sense of value from others. On the other extreme, are those with a self-indulgent pursuit of their own thing. They seek aloneness because they see themselves as above the community -- free from vulnerability, risk, and commitment. As Bonhoeffer puts it:
"One who wants fellowship without solitude plunges into the
void of words and feelings, and one who seeks solitude without
fellowship perishes in the abyss of vanity, self-infatuation, and
despair. Let him who cannot be alone beware of community. Let
him who is not in community beware of being alone." (pg. 78) I tend to think the modern church pushes us too far in the
direction of community without solitude, busyness without contemplation.
We have enough social activities to fill every minute of our
calendars: baseball games,
potlucks, outreach events, fellowship time, small groups, large groups,
medium groups, groups for women, groups for men, groups for kids, and
groups for no particular reason at all. I have to admit I have a great deal more practice with
solitude than with community -- not so much because I'm so spiritually
disciplined, but because it happens to mesh with my own temperament.
But for those who struggle more with solitude, here is something
to consider: When was
the last time you were alone -- when you took a break from the busyness
of life and the crowd? Where
is your "place of solitude"? For those who know me well, it should come as no surprise
that my favorite "place of solitude" is Victor's
Coffee in Redmond -- a charming little coffee shop with hardwood
floors, an outdoor patio, and its very own coffee roaster.
I visit Victors usually every Wednesday
(okay…sometimes Monday and Tuesday, and maybe even on Thursday
or Friday). And when I’m
playing on worship team, I’ll sometimes skip Randy’s sermon at the
second service and head right on down to Victor's for a cup of
"Jo" and an Almond Swirl. I remember the day I discovered I was a “regular” at
Victor’s. After I ordered
my drink, I waited for my usual cue from Tracy who would bark out
"double cappuccino!"
This time, however, she simply yelled… "Dan!" My typical day at Victors begins with a brief prayer
(sometimes), a daily Bible reading, and some deep, philosophical book
(you know -- those ones you're always reading, never quite fully grasp,
and never quite finish!). I also keep a notebook and a pen nearby.
Although I don't write in it consistently, I have it there just
in case I have some deep thought, an epiphany, or a prayer.
Some days I find myself writing nothing at all, or scribbling
down some fleeting, mundane thought like
"Remember to take out the trash tonight." In any case, I
look forward to these quiet moments where I can sit with a warm mug in
hand, watch the rain against the window, and simply be alone with God.
"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got
up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him,
they exclaimed: 'Everyone is looking for you!'
Jesus replied, 'Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby
villages--so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.'"
- Mark 1:35-38 To
respond to this message, please send your email to dcarollo@hotmail.com . . .
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Pablo Picasso
(Spanish, 1881–1973)