Unimpressive and Liking It

I participated in a three-day silent retreat at a Jesuit retreat house recently. One useful thing I noted—it is impossible to be impressive at a silent retreat. You don’t see the cars people arrive in, you don’t know what they do for a living, you don’t know if they are articulate or not, you know nothing of their station in life. For the most part, you don’t even know their names. (And everyone was dressed generically.)

I don’t think of myself as someone who tries to be impressive, but the fact that I noticed its impossibility may indicate otherwise.

It occurred to me that this is the position we have in the presence of God. Impossible to be impressive—including with our spirituality. Quite freeing—both with others and with God. All is grace.