While I was in Connecticut in January, my husband and I took a train into New York City. We came in through Grand Central Station. We experienced the train, the subway, the taxis, bus, and boat. We tried a New York pizza to see was their any difference from a Colorado pizza. We experienced many different things in those two days. Although the weather was ‘warmer’ than Denver’s temperatures – it was freezing! I suppose because of the surrounding water and the serious blowing winds.
In Denver, we live on an ‘apartment farm’. For those who do not know what that is imagine 10-20 acres with nothing but building after building of apartments. Not like Brooklyn apartments. Not high-rises but two story buildings that house about 800-1000 people. Outside of the ‘farm’ are complete open spaces, hills, and scenery. A mile away is a freeway and a large hospital but from the farm area, they are not visible. One could hear the rush of cars on an early morning walk, but it is not too overwhelming. It is just enough to break the complete hush of the morning.
After two days in the concrete jungles of New York, there was one thought that just kept echoing repeatedly within me, “How can anyone hear God with all this noise?” and “God, if you wanted to speak could anyone hear you?” It was not just all the noise of the vehicles and horns blowing, but the constant movement of people, lights, vehicles, buildings, etc. In Times Square, they had whole buildings that had moving advertisements on them up 10-20 stories high. It was overwhelming.
You could barely hear your own thoughts let alone God. I was deeply saddened. I was becoming besieged with all the action and noise so I tucked into a restaurant to use the restroom only to discover that they had loud rock n’ roll playing in there also! I couldn’t seem to escape the invasion.
I needed to get some ‘down’ time to recharge and hear God. Beyond all the noise of New York all I could have the sense of hearing was wondering how could anyone hear God if he wanted to speak to them. Does one eventually block out the constant sensory overload? Does one get used to it, blend with the scenery and then fall within themselves enabling them to ‘hear’ again? I didn’t know the answers.
I went back to the hotel to try to regroup and release from the sensory overload. It took many days to settle my equilibrium. Nevertheless, the sorrow remained in wondering about all those people in that city that might never hear God. I know God can bypass the noises and distractions of the world to those truly searching for him but I would just imagine it easier to find God in an open field where his beauty resounds and there are not nearly as many distractions.
In Denver, we live on an ‘apartment farm’. For those who do not know what that is imagine 10-20 acres with nothing but building after building of apartments. Not like Brooklyn apartments. Not high-rises but two story buildings that house about 800-1000 people. Outside of the ‘farm’ are complete open spaces, hills, and scenery. A mile away is a freeway and a large hospital but from the farm area, they are not visible. One could hear the rush of cars on an early morning walk, but it is not too overwhelming. It is just enough to break the complete hush of the morning.
After two days in the concrete jungles of New York, there was one thought that just kept echoing repeatedly within me, “How can anyone hear God with all this noise?” and “God, if you wanted to speak could anyone hear you?” It was not just all the noise of the vehicles and horns blowing, but the constant movement of people, lights, vehicles, buildings, etc. In Times Square, they had whole buildings that had moving advertisements on them up 10-20 stories high. It was overwhelming.
You could barely hear your own thoughts let alone God. I was deeply saddened. I was becoming besieged with all the action and noise so I tucked into a restaurant to use the restroom only to discover that they had loud rock n’ roll playing in there also! I couldn’t seem to escape the invasion.
I needed to get some ‘down’ time to recharge and hear God. Beyond all the noise of New York all I could have the sense of hearing was wondering how could anyone hear God if he wanted to speak to them. Does one eventually block out the constant sensory overload? Does one get used to it, blend with the scenery and then fall within themselves enabling them to ‘hear’ again? I didn’t know the answers.
I went back to the hotel to try to regroup and release from the sensory overload. It took many days to settle my equilibrium. Nevertheless, the sorrow remained in wondering about all those people in that city that might never hear God. I know God can bypass the noises and distractions of the world to those truly searching for him but I would just imagine it easier to find God in an open field where his beauty resounds and there are not nearly as many distractions.
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