Compline

Today, as we were walking around Savannah, my wife and I came across a lovely Presbyterian Church and noticed that they had a sign out about a Compline service that evening starting at 9:00PM. It sounded pretty interesting, and as we are always on the lookout for new and interesting things when we are traveling, she decided we were going to try and check it out.

Now, as many of you know, I don’t talk much about religion one way or another on this site. I have my own beliefs, and generally keep them to myself here, because I truly believe this site is for survivors, whoever they are, and whether they choose to put their faith in.

Now I don’t want to talk much about the service, or the faith that is on display at the service, but as we were sitting in the candlelit church, listening to the choir, it did occur to me that, no matter your feelings about God and religion, surely this was a good idea. To take time out, and the end of your day’s labor, when the stillness of the night time is coming over you, and before you set off into a new week. Time to be reflective, to meditate on the passing of the previous week, to give thanks for getting through that week, and to gird yourself for the coming week. What better way for survivors to track their progress, and be mindful of the journey of healing we are on, that to have our own version of Compline each week, where we contemplate where we are, where we have come from, and where we are going? Most of all, to simply take some time to look back on the healing we’ve already had, and the struggles we are having, with a larger perspective, that of the whole journey, and the progress being made, as opposed to whatever is happening right at that moment.

I am very mindful of the fact that it is easy, so, so easy, to get caught up in today, and forget that healing is a journey, with no set timeline. Wouldn’t it help to set aside some time to contemplate the progress that you’ve made to this point, and be thankful for the fact that you are still here, which gives you hope for the future? Personally, I think it would do us all a lot of good.