I forgot to reset my alarm last night, so it went off an hour earlier than I expected. I got up anyway; time alone—even half-awake—is something to be treasured in an apartment with seven people!
I was too sleepy to pray, so I decided to practice listening. I heard the swish of the cars passing on the road outside our living room and the gurgle of the coffee pot. After a minute or so, I picked out the hum of the refrigerator. Then a sniff from a sleeping child in the back bedroom. Finally, about three minutes in, I was focused enough to remember that my tinnitus is a separate sound.
I got up and poured myself a cup of coffee, listening to the liquid slosh into the cup. I took a few sips, then decided to pray: Speak, Lord, I am listening.
I was silent. He spoke. And I heard him, loud and clear.
