Recently in the Dallas Morning News, I read a wonderful column about the benefits of meditation. Erin Goldman of Dallas, a high school senior, wrote the piece and it touched me on many levels.
First, I could relate to what she wrote, “Meditation is more than sitting cross-legged on the floor in quiet darkness; it’s an instrument for heightening awareness. My mind is perpetually churning. Thoughts, worries and fears pour into my head like a furious thunderstorm and leave me drenched. Meditation provides an umbrella.”
I read that section several times, reminding myself that the words were written by a teenage girl, not a seasoned columnist who spent years perfecting a pleasant, engaging writing style.
Then I went outside, where I do my best meditating, content in the knowledge that the world of journalism is safe in the hands of young people like Erin. Not only is she bright and articulate, but she knows how to keep a balance in life. If we are never quiet, where do the profound thoughts come from?
I have often thought about looking more at how meditation can have a positive effect. There are definitely times when we all need to take a step back and simply relax. It’s nice to see a teen looking at how to make it without letting pressures get to her, as many her age these days seem unable to comprehend. The end result is often giving into peer pressures or dropping out of life. Now, if she can maintain that attitude when the pressures of the adult world begin!