Our society has forgotten that all of life can be a work of art, even the most mundane-seeming tasks... There is great beauty in cleanliness and order and bringing it into being. Watering the plants is as necessary as cleaning the stove, and vice versa. All these tasks bespeak care for oneself and others, and appreciation of the opportunity to create a temenos -- a sanctuary, a safe and sacred place.
When the clerk calls for silence, I allow myself to get centered. I take a breath. Then I'm able to focus. What's the real issue? What's the real conflict? Am I upset about something? Is there a defect in reasoning somewhere? ... It allows me to wait, maybe even for someone else who may feel a little more clear to speak which is often the most shocking and interesting to me...It's like Wow, we're making progress. It's an exercise in togetherness.