I’m spending the week on the coast of North Carolina with my family for Thanksgiving. I love being with friends and family, but it takes its toll on my spiritual life. It’s hard to maintain my normal rhythm of prayer and meditation. I hear many who meet with me for spiritual direction say the same. This week will be especially challenging. In our travels, I’ll be sleeping in three different locations.
On my first walk down the beach, I saw sand fences. They are built to prevent erosion of the sand dunes. As I considered the week ahead, I realized that I might need some spiritual ‘sand fencing’ to avoid the erosion of my spiritual life during the holidays.
Sand fences are about 10’ long and regularly positioned at a 45-degree angle from the shoreline. They’re part of the beach nourishment project of the Bogue Banks barrier islands. Residents have been encouraged to build sand fencing to protect the beautiful dunes and sea oats from the erosion caused by the wind, the storms, and the waves. The fences build up the dunes and provide a protective habitat for the sea oats to flourish.
Comparing this to my spiritual life, the sea oats could be the grace that grows from my daily prayers. The dunes are the foundation upon which these devotions are built and need protection. The wind, the waves, and the sand could be all the externals that come when visiting family (and sometimes the storms!). They’re beautiful, just as the natural elements of the beach are beautiful, but can potentially erode my spiritual life – my dunes.
Some well-designed sand fencing would help me enjoy the surroundings while protecting my spiritual life. My spiritual sand fencing would be maintaining the non-negotiables. Morning prayer would be one, even if I have to get up a little earlier. Evening prayer would be another, even if it means I need to be a little anti-social during what is usually the perfect time for socialization. Sometime during the day, I would need to find time to journal and intentionally seek out what I call ‘restorative niches’ where I can be all alone and uninterrupted for a few minutes reset.
What type of spiritual sand fencing do you need during the holidays to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and protect your spiritual life from erosion?