Totally at Peace

After a lovely dinner at The Olive Mountain, a Middle Eastern restaurant here in Evanston, with some seminary friends I returned home for what would amount to a wonderfully sublime evening. I made a pot of decaf coffee, which I seasoned lightly with cinnamon. Once it was finished, I drank it while eating a small bowl of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, which, quite possibly, is one of the tastiest foodstuffs invented. After the ice cream was finished, I continued drinking my coffee while watching a very good movie, The Cider House Rules. It was the touching story of a young man who grew up in an orphanage and had to finally leave it in order to find himself. During the movie, one of the nurses at the orphanage recites the prayer for in the evening which I know and love:

"O Lord, support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, in thy mercy, grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last. Amen."

After the film was over, and after hearing that prayer at least twice in the movie, I had the overwhelming urge to say Evening Prayer I. I decided that I would go and sit on the balcony outside to say it, so I gathered up my coat and prayer book and went outside. There, I said Evening Prayer I, by myself, to the whole city of Chicago, the whole state of Illinois, the whole United States of America, the whole world. As I concluded, I felt a powerful peace alight upon me and somehow felt like the day was now truly done. There was nothing left to accomplish for today. So, I leave you with that oblation.

-R