I recently came across some old materials from my Divinity School days—notes from a lecture by Henri Nouwen, whom I had the privilege of knowing during that season of my life.
One of Henri’s enduring themes was the tension between living in a state of overwhelm and rushing on the one hand, and a spiritual, contemplative state on the other. He knew both realities intimately. And, being well-versed in Latin, he offered a striking contrast between two words that capture these states of being.
The word for the first state was absurd, which comes from the Latin root meaning deaf. Henri spoke of how we become deaf to the guidance of the Divine when we are hurried and overloaded—when our inner life is drowned out by noise and urgency.
The word for the second state was obedient, which in Latin means to listen. In contrast to absurdity, obedience is the capacity to hear the voice of the Divine, to be attuned to the quiet movements of Spirit.
I know in my own life, the difference is profound. The days when I’m able to slow down and truly listen feel spacious and grounded. The days when I’m driven by hurry, pushing, or controlling feel narrow and disconnected.
There’s a world of difference between living in the absurd—deaf to what matters most—and living obediently, with ears open to the deeper wisdom that guides and sustains us. May we all make space for more of the latter in our lives.