Psalm 46:10 – Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth. (NRSV)

There it was — along the Mersey River deep in the forest in Kejimkujik National Park (Keji to most of us here in Nova Scotia, Canada) — the Red Chair, or to be precise, Red Chairs, since it was a double wooden Adirondack chair. What a pleasant surprise! And what a message for a world still running the rat race in spite of the pandemic. Here is what it says:

The red chairs placed in special locations in National Parks and National Historic Sites are all about taking time to connect with nature and with each other. They offer a place to rest, relax, and reflect on the place you discovered and the journey you took to get there.

The invitation of the Red Chair is to pause from whatever undertaking that we are on and meditate on the moment given to us, a moment to pause and reflect and rest, a moment to relax and discover whatever is around us (and maybe even within us!) There is an amazing natural world waiting for us to notice: a sunning turtle, a dappled fawn, a merganser mom with chicks on her back, a river lined with pickerel plants and white and yellow water lilies. And the quiet, which is not the absence of sound, but the absence of noise! Each sound tells the story of this amazing ecosystem.

I hope that you have your own Red Chair where you can rest from your labour and find a miraculous moment with your Maker. Celtic Christianity speaks of "the big book": Creation speaking to us of God's love and grace. One spinoff from the pandemic has been the impact on people's relationship with nature, as many report significantly increased time spent outdoors.

Please take a moment to pause and give thanks to God for the wonder of this world and the gift that God has given us. If you are touched by the experience, why not get involved in campaigns to build a sustainable future for all?

Prayer:
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

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About the author:

Kenn Stright <kennethstright@yahoo.ca>
West Petpeswick, Nova Scotia, Canada
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