Resistance and Resilience: Stillness

Photograph (c) Lois Justrabo

“Be still and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10)

In these tense months since Donald Trump became President and his administration began shredding the Constitution, I have walked a constant tightrope between despair and hope. In trying to maintain that impossible stance, I’ve come to realize that now, more than ever in my life, I must be grounded, rooted, in something more powerful and more meaningful than all the noise, anger, division, and fear encircling me. That “something” for me is God where God’s voice is heard in the “still, small voice” of each day, just as it was in the chaotic and dangerous time of the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 19:11-13).

“Silence is God’s first language. Everything else is a poor imitation,” declared the Trappist monk and mystic Thomas Merton. Canadian artist Lois Justrabo has captured that truth in this incredible photograph she entitles “Still.”

In sharing it with us as an art form of resistance and resilience, Ms. Justrabo writes: “I am sending you a photo that I took recently at the Jardin Botanique in Montreal, Quebec. This heron was standing at the water’s edge in the Chinese Gardens. It was standing perfectly still, despite all the people walking around, taking photos and selfies and talking in many different languages. I have titled the photo Still. Being still is resistance to the cacophony around us: the constant news, social media influencers, the fast pace of life, the negativity and egocentricity displayed publicly and privately. In being still, we can take time to notice the beauty around us that we might otherwise miss. That beauty may be embodied in a person, in nature, in a generous or compassionate act which are all reflections of the Divine.”

I resonate with being still as resistance, and I also know how important stillness is for resilience. If only the world would “be still” for a moment how different it all might be. If only I will “be still,” I, too, will be different.

As a prompt for this photo, Ms. Justrabo asks, Where do you find “still”? Your response may help us all find our way back to silence.

Resisting with you,

Rosemary

A retired teacher, Lois Justrabo lives in Stratford, Ontario with her husband where she paints and sells notecards of her beautiful watercolor creations. They have two adult daughters. Ms. Justrabo also has interests in spiritual direction, nature, and continuing creative exploration.