August 29, 2010 - New Camaldolese Hermitage, Big Sur, CA

The answer to the priest's excellent rhetorical question the other day came to me at 5:30am the next:
The deepest longing of my heart is to say something that matters.
To say something that makes a positive difference in a person's life or in the world is my deepest longing. It has been since I was a kid. This is God's calling in my life whether in public speaking, writing or art. I am always trying to say something that matters.

It is ironic that such clarity about speech should come in the middle of a silent retreat? Not really, I've been writing like mad. One of the places my mind drifts to during meditation is what pottery project I have next. I can't wait to preach again.

After six days of not speaking a word to another person, other than hymns or prayers chanted in worship, my first spoken encounter with another retreatant occurred this morning. In our tiny common kitchen, a fellow pilgrim whispered with some concern as she opened the refrigerator, "Are we out of butter?" I answered reflexively, "No, its right here..." and pointed to where she could find it. That's the longest conversation I have had in six days! I think we both felt a little sheepish about the exchange having been so very good at silence for so long and not wanting to disturb anyone else. But by God, we found the butter and when you're living on Spartan rations butter counts for a lot!
D. T. Niles the famous South Indian preacher once said, "Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where to find the bread." Speaking our truth in love may be one of the most significant ways we live out our faith, whether in our family relationships, at school or workplace, in the church or in the nation.
Surrounded by the noise of our society, bombarded with stimulus and distraction, a little silence every now and then can remind us of how important it is to speak our truth in love.