“Shh. Hang on just one second. I need to listen.”
The exhaust fan above the stove droned on, rattling the picture frames in the front room. The drum of the roaster hummed its subtle whir as the beans tumbled inside. The smoky, rich aroma of roasting coffee tingled through my nose. Zachary talked about the latest Marvel fan theory… or maybe he was talking about anime. Actually, it could have been Star Wars, I’m not sure. Marin asked me to make ramen noodles. The dogs played chase in the living room, woofing and nipping at one another. There was a lot going on all at once. But my focus was on the coffee. A pound of Ethiopia Guji was hitting a stage of roasting called “first crack.” First crack is what happens when the internal temperature of a coffee bean rises, and the water inside of it turns to steam. The water forces its way out of the coffee bean and makes a cracking sound. With some beans first crack is as loud as popcorn, but not these beans. It is a subtle pop that’s easy to miss if you're not paying attention.With this Guji, I didn’t want to keep roasting more than 30 seconds past first crack or I all the wonderful, bright, fruity notes these beans are known for would be lost.. (I’m a coffee nerd and I won’t apologize for it). I just needed everything to pause for a minute. So I said,
“Shh. Hang on just one second. I need to listen.”
And for a few minutes everyone and everything stopped. The dogs even stood still. It was glorious. I heard the subtle and beautiful sound of first crack. 30 seconds later I dropped the beans into the cooling tray and the coffee was spectacular.
Sometimes I just have to push the pause button on everything and everyone else around me and just listen. Life has been pretty noisy lately. There’s a lot going on all at once. I don’t know that it will ever not be that way to some extent. All the more reason to be purposeful in my pausing. I need silence. I don’t need silence all the time. I don’t want or need to live in isolation. But silence and solitude, for me, is restful. I need time and space free from noise and distraction and other people just to listen and be present.
It’s amazing how much I feel restored and renewed when I purposefully embrace even a little time of silence and solitude. It allows me the opportunity to listen for the often still small voice of God. God’s voice, however subtle it may sometimes be, ALWAYS speaks life and love. The voice of the one who spoke creation into being adds richness and meaning and peace to my far too chaotic life.
Today, O God, grant me the wisdom to seek relief from the noise. Grant me the wisdom to find time for solitude and silence, that I might know your presence with me. May I know your love and life and peace.