Part II — Keeping Our Focus on God
Prayer, Stillness,and Focus on God
Over time I have learned that beginning the day quietly with God helps guard my heart from the noise that can so easily fill our lives.
Each morning I take public transit to work. I wake early and usually arrive about an hour before the workday begins. What might seem like an inconvenience has gradually become a small blessing in my routine.
As I walk to the bus stop, I pray the Rosary. If others are waiting there, I greet them with a simple and cheerful “good morning.” During the bus ride I continue the Rosary, quietly praying not only for my own intentions but also for the people around me on the bus.
When I reach the metro, I take a moment to pray for the day ahead—for God’s guidance and presence with me, with my students, and with my colleagues. I also pray the Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel, asking for protection and spiritual strength.
These simple moments of prayer gently set the tone for the day.
By the time I arrive at work, I still have time before the day begins. I make a coffee, eat the breakfast I brought with me, and sit quietly for a few moments. There is no rushing, no anxiety—only a sense of calm preparation.
Throughout the day I try to keep my thoughts oriented toward God. I often reflect on moments that occur during the day and what they might be teaching me. I try to avoid gossip or negative conversations with colleagues, though I know I am far from perfect.
Like every human being, I carry my own weaknesses and struggles. The Christian tradition calls this tendency toward weakness Concupiscence—our human inclination toward imperfection.
Yet even in our shortcomings, God continues to guide us. Each day brings lessons, challenges, and opportunities for growth. Because we live and work among others, our faith is not meant to remain hidden within us but to radiate outward in small acts of kindness, patience, and humility.
I try, in my own imperfect way, to let the light that God has placed within me shine outward.
After all, as followers of Christ, we are called to be:
“the light of the world.”
— Gospel of Matthew 5:14
Finding Silence in Creation
When the noise of daily life begins to feel overwhelming, my husband and I sometimes take our dogs—our little “fur babies”—and go camping in our RV.
Out in the woods, life slows down. There is no television, no constant stream of devices or internet—only the quiet of nature, which we keep connected to only for emergencies. The absence of noise itself becomes a kind of gift.
Surrounded by trees and open sky, I often sit quietly and simply look upward. In those moments I write, or paint, or draw. The stillness allows my thoughts to settle, and my heart turns naturally toward gratitude.
Creation has a way of reminding us of the goodness and majesty of God.
As the beauty of the sky stretches above the forest, the words of the old hymn often come to mind:
“O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made…”
— How Great Thou Art
Moments like these remind me that sometimes the most powerful way to reconnect with God is simply to step away from the noise of the world and enter into the quiet beauty of His creation.
“The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”
— Book of Psalms 19:1
Closing Reflection
In a world filled with constant noise and competing voices, it is easy to feel pulled in many directions. Yet the path back to God is often found not in dramatic moments, but in small daily choices—moments of prayer, quiet reflection, and simple acts of kindness toward others.
The world may continue to rush forward with its endless headlines and narratives, but the soul finds its true peace in turning again and again toward God.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You.”
— Book of Isaiah 26:3
Perhaps the greatest discipline of our time is simply learning to pause amid the noise, to listen for the still voice of God, and to carry that quiet presence with us throughout the ordinary moments of each day.
May we all learn, even in the midst of the world’s noise, to pause long enough to hear the still voice of God.
Final Thoughts
And so the journey continues each day—in the quiet prayers of the morning commute, in the ordinary moments of work and conversation, and sometimes in the peaceful stillness of the woods beneath an open sky.
For it is often in these simple moments, when we step away from the noise of the world, that we rediscover the quiet voice of God guiding us gently along the path.
Be Inspired! 
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