Wild Things

And when he came to the place where the wild things are they roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth…
-Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are

Max is aptly named.

Maurice Sendak’s solitary, lonely boy experiences his emotions—particularly anger—at maximum velocity. He chases the dog with a fork in his hand; he howls at his mother; he storms off to bed without any supper. And when his bed sails away to where the wild things are, he meets their monstrous, terrible roars with the magic trick he never learned at home. He says to them, “BE STILL!” And the wild things are stilled. They make him their king.

Do you ever wonder what it’s like to be able to reach that place where emotions can be tamed? To silence the wild caterwauls of anger, despair, or frustration is to harness deep psychological forces. To control the sulking, silent groans of resignation is to discover spiritual health. Hair-trigger rage is a wild thing that can damage the soul. Bitterness, jealousy, envy, greed—the church has named them all before.

Max gives me hope that I can plumb spiritual depths and not get lost. The wild things are still there, but they no longer have control of my life. In centering prayer, I can recognize their power and not be overcome; in the stillness of contemplation, I can find the calm that gives life to my soul.

My prayer for you today is that you find that spiritual place where the terrible roars within and the gnashing of terrible teeth become still. It’s not our doing, but the grace of God, that allows us to find a meal still warm on the table after the raging storm.

Along the Way, I wish you God’s peace on today’s stage of your Lenten spiritual journey. May Christ’s companionship bless you with confidence for the day, comfort you in trouble, and put a spring of joy in your step.