As I
went to take a promenade at the Baton Rouge City Park one bright sunny winter
morning in December, I reflected back on the past and pondered some things for
the upcoming new year. It was a great way to get a healthy activity done and
enrich more than just the physical mode, to include emotional and spiritual
exercises as well.
While I was on my own for this adventure, taking
a dog out for a daily walk is also such a joy—to be out in the neighborhood or
park, visiting with neighbors and others, and even providing a type of
neighborhood or community watch. After a hard day's work with all the stresses
that may come, it is helpful and healthy to take such walks with our canines, which
can even be seen as a form of prayer.
So since I don't use an iPod, Walkman, or other
electronic device on my walks, I tried to use this semi-retreat time on the
beautiful grounds by the Baton Rouge Gallery for a better appreciation of "the
sound of silence," like the ole Simon & Garfunkel song noted. While I
certainly am an affection ado of many types of music when driving or in other
venues, these outdoor times are more attuned to the sounds of chirping of birds
or chattering squirrels.
So as I proceeded on this stroll, I soon took
some abrupt turns along the way and almost bumped into some others who also
enjoyed these types of excursions. Some folks I recognized while others were
from varied and diverse backgrounds but all were very friendly—even if we did
not exchange words.
At that point on my City Park outing, I was
reminded sort of when I am on my annual silent retreat at Manresa. After the
silence has begun at those yearly gatherings, all retreat participants will
occasionally pass one another from time to time without verbalizing and/or
making any eye contact or gestures, yet still convey a very respectful and
loving "space grace."
As I continued along the way, I decided to
silently pray the rosary while I gingerly moved on with the beads in my hands
giving me a sense of balance and stability, as well as facilitating it to be a
form of walking contemplation. Since I had never been to that part of City Park
before, it was like walking into foreign territory, so I almost got lost and
off track at times.
At some point, I stopped walking and quietly
joined others at a rounded area in prayerful meditation. We all used varied and
individual forms to express this. For me, this entailed kneeling down in homage
to the humble and simple outdoor stone-like environment. Next, I sensed that I
actually was lost and maybe had "passed this way before," almost like I was
unintentionally heading back to where I had initially begun.
Despite all of the above, I then experienced a
general sense of peace and serenity as I exited the Baton Rouge Labyrinth and
began to notice others doing the same and externally expressing their own form
of this harmony from their own faith walk with the Lord. These were all somehow
not distractions to what had been an overall emphasis on unity for all of us.
This walking experience noted above actually occurred
on May 31, 2008, when many representatives of other faith communities came
together at Baton Rouge City Park's Reopening Interfaith Gathering held at the
Labyrinth, including Rabbi Barry Weinstein of the Temple Shalom in Lafayette,
Cleric Emad Nofal of the Islamic Center of Baton Rouge, and members from many
other Christian denominations, Muslim, Hindu, Zen Buddhist, and other
traditions.
I couldn't help but recount this event now as I
am preparing to promoting more "peace on earth and good will to all" men and
women in this Holy Day Season. Godspeed to all! Merry Christmas!
