Slowing Down

Since my first day at Mercer, I’ve learned a lot about bears (naturally). Most of this should have only been a refresher. You can’t grow up in Macon without taking a trip to the Museum of Arts and Sciences and seeing the giant polar bear, or taking a trip to Atlanta and seeing the panda bears that lived at Zoo Atlanta for twenty-five years. You can’t grow up in Georgia without learning that the only native bear in Georgia is the black bear, and if you were like me it was disappointing to learn that black bears are not as cuddly as they look. I almost certainly learned more about bears, but I couldn’t tell you much about them now. For all that I have learned and forgotten about bears, though, I do remember one thing: bears hibernate. During the winter months when food is harder to find, bears hunker down for the winter and wait it out. For bears and other hibernating animals, winter is a slower season.

People aren’t hibernators in the same way bears are, but we could all benefit from slowing down. I’m still kind of new to the liturgical calendar, but Advent has quickly become one of my favorite seasons. I have always adored Christmas, and for a long time I wanted to start the Christmas season as soon as possible. This time of year can feel joyous and frenetic—there are lights to see, movies to watch, parties to attend, presents to buy, and so many cookies to bake. Observing Advent for the past several years has helped me slow down. It’s helped me pay attention to God and the ways God is at work. It’s helped me be more present in a season that often feels like it’s gone in the blink of an eye.

There are many ways to slow down this Advent season as we wait for the joy of Christmas. We don’t get to fully hide away like bears do, but maybe we can learn to find a few moments in our day to pause, rest, and connect with God this Advent. Perhaps this is by waking up a few minutes earlier to soak in the sunrise, or perhaps it is staying up a few minutes later at night when things have quieted down. One of my favorite ways is to say breath prayers throughout the day. If you need a moment to pause today, try the breath prayer below.  

Inhale

God is making all things new.

Exhale

May I perceive it.