During a recent visit to spend time with my grandsons, the three-year-old was incredibly animated, physically and vocally, jumping from couch cushion to couch cushion, passionate in his attempt to engage the visiting nurse in his antics instead of making notes in her journal.
Finally, I told him to stop and let the nurse work. I asked if he wanted to come and sit with me. He rolled around on the floor a bit, pouting, so I left him alone. A few minutes later, he was standing in front of me, staring at my face.
I smiled at him and asked, "Would you like to come up and sit here?"
He shook his head yes and climbed up, getting into a snuggle position next to me.
He said nothing for a good five minutes, a long time for a young child.
I looked at him and asked, "Would you like something? Do you want me to read a book?"
He shook his head no. A few minutes later, he said, "I sit here."
That is all he wanted. I put my arm around him, and we sat.
Parents of young children know the experience of trying to leave them alone to play while the parent tries to get some work done in another room.
Without fail, even if a child is playing happily, the child will leave their toys and follow the parent from place to place, often without saying a word, merely desiring to be where they are.
Sometimes there is nothing more wonderful or comforting than to rest in the presence of the one you love. At those times, only silence is adequate to communicate the great love that burns in the heart.
Norwegian theologian, author, and educator, Ole Hallesby, describes the experience: "There come times when I have nothing more to tell God. If I were to continue to pray in words, I would have to repeat what I have already said. At such times it is wonderful to say to God, 'May I be in Thy presence, Lord? I have nothing more to say to Thee, but I do love to be in Thy presence."
When I reflect on these words, I remember an experience of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the experience of praying in silence before the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.
In her letters, Saint Clare of Assisi, a friend of Saint Francis, shared her spiritual advice that, during Adoration, we should gaze on, consider, and contemplate Christ, and leave from there to imitate him.
Sometimes, in these moments, as grown-ups who are always children of God, we need to say nothing more than, "I sit here."
Mary Regina Morrell is a Catholic journalist, author, and syndicated columnist who has served the dioceses of Metuchen and Trenton, New Jersey, and RENEW International in the areas of catechesis and communication.