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Over the past three decades, I've witnessed legendary musician James Taylor perform nearly two dozen concerts, in numerous venues from Los Angeles to London. There have been many memorable moments, but none sweeter than that of an evening long ago in Hollywood when James featured songs from his ninth album, Flag.
When the house lights dimmed and the curtain lifted, an urban cityscape, framed in twilight, emerged from the darkness. The stage--as best my fragile memory can recall--replicated the rooftop of an old high-rise replete with utility poles, stairwell doors, and air conditioning units.
The stage set formed a magical backdrop for Flag's featured single, a cover of Gerry Goffin and Carole King's classic, Up On The Roof, first recorded by the Drifters in 1962. It's a favorite of mine that I often refer to--only partly in jest--as The Introvert's Anthem:
When this old world starts getting me down
And people are just too much for me to face
I climb way up to the top of the stairs
And all my cares just drift right into space
On the roof, it's peaceful as can be
And there, the world below can't bother me
The song resonates with my soul on many levels. Perhaps, most profoundly, since as a child I'd often retreat behind the parapet of the garage roof of our Spanish-style home in the Los Angeles suburb of Lynwood. No small thing for a boy terrified of heights. My desire for retreat, however, was greater than my fear of falling.
Jesus, too, cherished retreat. "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed" (Mark 1:35). Admittedly, Jesus seems to have preferred the mountaintop over the rooftop. "After [Jesus] had dismissed [the crowd], he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray" (Matthew 14:23). When in the environs of Jerusalem, Jesus practiced the habit of retreating to Gethsemane for prayer. "Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him" (Luke 21:39). In fact, Jesus' rhythms in relationship to Gethsemane were so well established that Judas knew precisely where to lead Jesus' opponents to make the arrest.
What's available, what's possible, in a space of quiet retreat?
Are you comfortable with quiet? Do you have any fears attached to quiet? What might you desire from retreat that would be greater than your fear of quiet?
Do you practice a rhythm of retreat? What does it look like? What would it take to make it even better? More consistent? You know...whether Fire and Rain.
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